Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL
Modern fighter jet production line.Primer
Italeri is entering a fairly crowded field of existing 1/72 F-35B kits with Hasegawa, Fujimi and Academy already having some very nice kits on the market. In recent years I have found Italeri to be very hit and miss with new releases so I approached this build with mixed feelings.
This new kit has very few parts in common with the original 2013 kits due mainly to the need for completely new fuselage parts to accommodate the unique F-35B design. Italeri has added a generous selection of weapons and a nice bomb cart to the new kit.
The interior of the real F-35B is very complex with the addition of a forward lift fan and several doors on both the top and bottom. Italeri accurately reproduces the entire intake manifold, driveshaft and variable thrust engine nozzle at the rear. Both options for the rear nozzle location are provided and all doors can be displayed open or closed. The clear canopy section is pre-painted in a smoky yellow which looked quite accurate to my eyes and was a valuable addition as it saved an extra step in the build. This kit is a very solid effort from Italeri. The fit is excellent, the inclusions such as the full interior, tinted canopy, weapons, and even a bomb cart all add up to good value. For the most part, the detail and accuracy also seem to be on point. I would be very happy if they made this type in 1/48 as the only toy in town in this scale at the moment is KittyHawk. I’ve found Italeri kits to be a bit of a “hit” in recent years, but having now built this one, I can definitely say it’s a success.
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Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL
Italeri (1425)1/72
By: Gary Wickham
https://www.scalespot.com/gallery/aircraft/f35b-ita/f35b-ita.php
