ORANGE HOBBY KIT #A72001148 1/72 SCALE US NAVY F-35C REVIEW & BUILD
The Aircraft:
The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the second 5th generation stealth fighter built by the United States of America, following the F-22 Raptor.
The F-35 Lightning 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. Lockheed 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 that 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 Navy and US Marine 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 frame and a large majority of common parts and systems.
As a result, once the production aircraft was designated the F-35, is resulted in three aircraft designations:
F-35A USAF conventional take-off and landing version.
F-35B USMC STOVL (Short Take-off, Vertical Landing) version.
F-35C US Navy CATOBAR version for aircraft carriers.
Developing an airframe that could accommodate 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 adequately defend itself if necessary, and could, as a secondary mission, preform 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 Carrier based F-35C Lightning II for the US Navy, to become the principle strike fighter operating off os US Navy nuclear powered aircraft carriers.
Specifically, expectations of the F-35C are that it will provide strike, attack, and air defense missions for the US Navy that exceed the existing F-18C/D Hornet aircraft which it will replace, and compliment the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft that it will fly along side. It must be capable of providing superior maneuverability and instantaneous and sustained high-g performance, superior stealth, payload, internal fuel range, avionics, operational effectiveness, supportability, and survivability. These are tall orders, but the F-35C is designed to achieve all of these.
The F-35C has a larger wing and control surface area than the F-35A and F-35B aircraft. This was done to provide it with superior slow speed handling when operating off of aircraft carriers, and to increase its range and weapons load. In addition, befitting a US carrier aircraft, its landing gear has been strengthened as has its frame, and it has a strong carrier arrestor hook built into it that can withstand the repeated pressure of "grabbing a wire," when it lands on the carrier deck.
This naval variant is expected to be procured in numbers approaching 350 aircraft for the US Navy and for the US Marines. Eight squadrons of ten aircraft will be operated by the US Marines to replace their current F/A-18C/D Hornets. The US Navy will operate at least 260 aircraft as US Navy strike fighters for the carriers and for training, testing & Evaluation, and from shore based airfields.
The first production F-35C aircraft rolled out of the production facility in Ft. Worth , Texas in July 2009. In November 2010, the first F-35C arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. On July 27, 2011, an F-35C test aircraft completed the first steam catapult launch of the aircraft at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, NJ. On August 13, 2011, it successfully completed jet blast deflector (JBD) testing at Lakehurst. Then on November 18, 2011, the U.S. Navy launched the first F-35C using its new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) at Lakehurst. Numerous tests have ensured with every conceivable load out for the aircraft and varying conditions tested.
On June 22, 2013, Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-101, the famous Grim Reapers, received the Navy's first fighter squadron F-35C at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
On November 3, 2014, the much anticipated, first at sea deployment of the F-35C aboard a US aircraft carrier began. Two F-35Cs of the Navy's flight test unit, made theirs first landings and take-offs aboard the USS Nimitz, CVN-68 for a two week deployment. This initial deployment was completed very successfully on November 14, 2014.
The US Navy has now taken deliver of twenty-one aircraft and has stood up a testing and evaluation squadrons and the initial fighter squadron.
The US Navy is planning on the F-35C reaching initial operational capability (IOC) when the first operational carrier squadron is equipped with 10 aircraft, and Naval personnel are trained, manned, and equipped to conduct basic air operations off of the carrier in a contested environment. The US Navy expects to meet this condition between August 2018 and February 2019. Aircraft General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 50.8 ft
Wingspan: 43 ft
Height: 14.2 ft (4.33 m)
Wing area: 620 ft²
Empty weight: 34,800 lb
Loaded weight: 49,540 lb (22,470 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 70,000 lbs (31,800 kg)
Power plant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
- Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf (125 kN)
- Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf (191 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 19,624 lb
Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h) (tested to Mach 1.61)
Range: 1,400 nmi (2,520 km) on internal fuel
Combat radius: 610 nmi (1,130 km) on internal fuel
Wing loading: 107.7 lb/ft² (526 kg/m²; 745 kg/m² max loaded)
Thrust/weight:
- With full fuel: 0.75
- With 50% fuel: 0.91
Maximum g-load: 9 g Armament:
1 × General Dynamics 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-22/A 4-barrel Gatling gun, under carriage pod 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 Monition (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:
To date, there is only a single F-35C injected molded kit in 1/72 scale and that is this one, from Orange Hobby. Others are expected out in the future, but I decided to go ahead and get this one.
Orange Hobby is a Chinese model company. They are well known for making numerous after market add-on sets and pieces from gun barrels, to antennae, and various weapons systems in 1/35, 1/72, 1/700, and 1/350 scales. They have also made several models (usually resin kits) for 1/700, 1/350 and 1/72 scale ships and aircraft. My 1/72 scale X-47B UCLASS aircraft build was an Orange Hobby model. There kits have always been top notch.
This is one of their 1/72 scale injected molded model kits and it includes a lot of detail and options, as well as additional parts.
The model can show the gear either up or down and has detailed weapons and landing gear bays.
The model can show the main wings either folded or down for operations on the carrier deck.
The model can show the canopy in either the open or closed position.
The model can show the arrestor hook either extended or stowed.
There are two sets of decals for the model, either showing it in the CF-03 test aircraft configuration for the US Navy, or in VA-101 Grim Reapers air wing configuration with production aircraft 101.
There is also a nicely detailed aircraft tug included that can be shown towing the aircraft into position on the carrier deck.
I intend to show this aircraft as one of the Grim Reapers, VA-101, and have it being towed in place with the tug, with its wings folded and its canopy open. The idea is to make it as realistic as possible preparing for launch off of a US carrier.
There are five frets of gray injected molded parts, a fret of clear parts for the canopy, and some photo etch parts, particularly for the aircraft tug.
The parts look very well molded with no flash and very decent and smart attach points. The two sets of decals look very complete, and the 1st aircraft of the Grim Reapers includes the higher contrast, color markings seen in the pictures above.
Instructions are in Chinese, but appear intuitive. The paint scheme leaves a bit to be desired. It is in black and white (gray scale) and does not point out specific vendor colors but uses fairly generic terms like, "Dark Gray." That's alright, I know what colors they need to be in any case.
Orange Hobby does sell a masking kit for the distinctive markings on the F-35 and I will probably get it. I may use it to try and add these markings to my already completed USMC F-35B and USAF F-35A as well.
Also, they have an after market kit for the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile (NSM) that is being qualified for the aircraft. This will not be a standard US Navy missile...but will be used in Europe for nations like the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, etc. It is currently the only anti-ship missile that has been designed to fit in the F-35's internal weapons bays.
Here's how all of this looked out of the box:
...and here's the complete instruction set with the paint scheme for the Grim Reaper aircraft shown last:
The Build Weapons Bay, Intakes, Landing gear bays - May 20, 2015
I started off by assembling the various parts for the weapons bays, the landing gear bays, and the air intakes. The interior spaces are in flat white, and the exterior of the aircraft, like the USAF aircraft, is in Gunship Gray.
That's all I had time for in this first session. I am ordering the mask set and will proceed in the next session to do the cockpit, paint the internal portion of the bay doors (and assemble them) and then put the basic fuselage and control surfaces together. Hopefully, by the time the next session is done, I can have the mask set in to paint the markings on the upper fuselage.
The Build Engine, Stabilizers, Cockpit, Fuselage, landing gear, Bay doors, Folded Wings - May 22, 2015
I started off this session by painting, assembling and then gluing the engine into the lower fuselage. I then added the vertical stabilizers to the upper fuselage and painted and prepared the horizontal stabilizers.
Next, I painted, gathered, and assembled the various parts for the cockpit. I then glued the display into the upper fuselage and added the main panel decal for the instrumentation. I then glued the rest of the cockpit together and added it to the lower fuselage.
At this point I was ready to glue the upper and lower fuselage together...which I did. While it was drying I painted and assembled the three landing gear. These landing gear are visibly more hefty and beefy than the F-35A or F-35B landing gear...of course they have to take the stresses associated with landing on the carrier deck, and of being slung by the front gear down the carrier deck by the catapult.
Once these had dried and the fuselage was dried, I glued the landing gear into place.
At this point it was time to paint and assemble the various bay doors and the various hinging systems and support that this kit includes. Some good detail, particularly in the weapons bay doors which other kits have not shown.
Once those were together and dried I glued them onto the model. I also glued the wheels into place (which I had already painted) and glued the horizontal stabilizers in place. The weapons/armament will come later.
At this point I also assembled the wing sections that can fold. Since I intend to show them in the up position allowing for better storage and more room on deck, I configured the assembly accordingly. I also added the under wing pylon for these outer wing sections (those Pylons will carry my AIM_9X Sidewinder missiles). I then glued these to the aircraft in the appropriate position. At this point I did an initial paint of the canopy and also a dry fit in place. This is how all of that looks:
Now that is looking really good. You can clearly see the distinctions between the "Charlie" F-35 and the "Alpha" and "Bravo" versions. The double front wheels, the heftier landing carriage, the significantly larger wings, the folded outer wings. Yes, she is definitely the F-35C.
In my next session I will paint, build, and add the weapons. I will also build the aircraft tug. At that point defending on if my "mask" has arrived, I will either use the mask and paint the markings with it, or I will add what decals I can and continue waiting for the mask.
The Build Weapons, Aircraft tug, finalizing structure - May 25, 2015
Now it was time to determine what weapons fit I was going to place on the my new US Navy F-35C. The kit comes with two AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared air to air missiles, and two, longer range AIM-120 AMRAAM air to air missiles. It also comes with the 30mm gun pod which is mounted on the centerline underneath the aircraft. I decided to use all of these, but wanted more. I actually wanted a full-up Naval War at Sea Strike war load and to get that, I would have to use after market parts.
Luckily, I have several Testor and Hasegawa 1/72 scale weapons kits for modern aircraft. In this case, I decided to use the Testor's 1/72 Scale US/NATO modern weapons kit.
With that, I could meet my goal. In the end, I decided for an absolute full load consisting of (from outside wing pylon to the centerline):
2 x AIM-9X air to air missiles (Range 35 km)
2 x AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles (Range 150 km)
2 x AGM-84L Harpoon II anti-ship/surface missiles (Range 130 km)
2 x AIM-120D AMRAAM air to air missiles (Range 180 km)
2 x AGM-65J Maverick anti-surface missiles (Range 25 km)
1 x 30mm gun pod
I built and painted the various missiles in preparation for installing them:
Once the armament were completed, I then built the aircraft tug that came with the model. It is quite a detailed small assembly with numerous photo-etch parts and a metal shaft. They sit very low to the ground so that they can reach under the aircraft and attach to the main gear and then tow the aircraft into launch position or elsewhere for positioning.
Quite a few very small pieces.
Here is the Testor's box for the weapons kit, and the aircraft positioned with the completed tug:
I then added the armament to the aircraft in their appropriate positions. Filled all of the slots!
That pretty much completes the structure of the aircraft, the armament, and the tug.
I am going to wait before I put the decals on until I get the mask set I purchased to do the special paint job on the aircraft. After that, I will add the decals, do the touch up, and complete the model. This should occur in the next session, but I am still probably several days from getting that masking kit.
The Build - Decals, RAM Masking, Complete model - June 4, 2015
Well, it took quite a bit longer for the orange Hobby masking kit to come in. I ended up putting on the decals that would not interfere with where I intended to put the RAM (Radar Absorbing Material) on the aircraft. I really like the high contrast markings for the number one aircraft of the VAF-101 squadron.
The, the Masking kit came in. It consists of three sheets of masking material that has been laser cut and has a sticky vinyl portion for each piece, backed by a peel off backing.
These come apart fairly easily and go on easily enough...but they are painstaking and many of them are very small so care has to be taken to add them.
I then went ahead and added all of the RAM masking that I planned to put on aircraft 101, based on the pictures. For my aircraft this will consist of the top areas, some of the inside sides of the vertical stabilizers, and areas on the nose. As I say, they went on well enough...thought it took some time. I then used a Dark Ghost Gray for painting them.
Once complete...and dried...I carefully peeled off the masks. Generally it went pretty well...but despite efforts to blotch and apply the paint without any poling or running...some still crept under the edges of the small masks. This required quite a bit of touch-up.
Honestly, I believe for the RAM coatings that Orange Hobby and the other manufacturers, would be best suited by having some very decent decals created for this. For the effort and tooling that went into creating the masks, they could have produced decent decals.
If they used scribed lines/detail, with a very slight recess on the lines only (rather than the fairly obvious raised sections that Orange Hobby used here) to define these areas, and then had decals of the same quality as those provided for the rest of the model...a more pleasing and true to life look could be obtained. Anyhow, that is just my opinion. These came off fairly nicely as it was.
Once this was done, the model was complete outside for the final coats and, as I say, some touch up around those RAM areas.
Once that was complete, it was time for the final pictures:
...and some close-ups, including of the tug.
An there you have it, The US Navy F-35C Joint strike fighter in 1/72 scale.
Future Build Schedule - June 4, 2015
- Jun 19, 2015 Complete the 1/72 scale US Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AEW&C Aircraft
- Jul 01, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian SU-35 Fighter.
- Ju1 18, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian TU-160 Blackjack Bomber
- Aug 02, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian Tu-95 Bear Bomber
- Aug 18, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale US Air Force B-2 Spirit Bomber
- Sep 01, 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