Jump to content

F-35A


Zero77

Recommended Posts

Hi !

 

Sorry guys, it's been a while i havent been posting, as i'm very busy at work at this time (and tired when i'm back home).

 

But i haven't been inactive. I've started the new Italeri F-35A. A pretty nice kit !

 

Let's start with the cockpit. There is no resin available, but even in full scale, it's not really a busy desk. So i decided to use the Eduard PE fret (even i'm not very fond of PE details for jet cockpits).

 

Here is the cockpit OOB :

MUrAZsr.jpg

 

And with a few Eduard PE details. The armrest is a very nice addition !

8rPXnHF.jpg

 

 

Then i worked on the engine. The front (even if it's almost impossible to see it in the bottom of the intakes) :

WRFJmup.jpg

 

And the rear. I was not able to get pictures of the inside, so i just go OOB. I protected the exhaust fan with masking tape to putty and sand the seam clean :

8nQeShF.jpg
WgdYK8j.jpg

 

And for the intakes, i used the wall paint technique. However, i really struggled with this one. Maybe because i used another brand of paint, i dont know (but i did 3 tries, and cleaning between each tries was a PITA)

g8PV17c.jpg
p9qqCyQ.jpg

 

And for the nozzle, i assembled the 2 parts and applied some putty in the seam :

mWJIY6L.jpg

 

And i build this custom file with plastic sheet and sand paper cut to the exact width of the petals so i can sand the putty clean without destroying the internal details. Sorry i just forgot to take pictures of the result (coming soon). :)

CnSUYld.jpg

Edited by Zero77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More pictures of the finished cockpit. For the instrument panel, i masked the border and paint the screen black with another coat of smoke clear (as i did not wanted to make the screen on).

wMJv91L.jpg
xrWpL3T.jpg

 

 

Then i worked on the seat. The headrest did not look like what i saw on the pictures, so i modified it :

RI9iAqk.jpg

BOaVOo7.jpg

 

With the Eduard details :

GpXUg29.jpg
G0xYehc.jpg
vs76N9h.jpg

 

Then i added some "fabric texture" on the cushion, using paper tissue glued with white glue thinned with water.

kRMbico.jpg

WbpXLgF.jpg

 

After painting. I'm not 100% satisfied, but i keep the idea for next builds.

DCjXDzC.jpg

 

I also added some carbon fiber effect on the sides of the headrest, as it is on the pictures of the real seat. It is some hasegawa selfsticking film. Not easy to conform on very small parts. However, it's too glossy, so i will add a coat of satin varnish later.

VX3JBTh.jpg

 

 

On the intakes, i masked where starts the white area as the entrance is painted grey. I will also allow me to putty and sand clean the seam.

P72iMIK.jpg

 

Then, ,the intakes glued on the lower fuselage, and the seam sanded clean :

wvLbQaP.jpg

 

 

The canopy interior sides. There are some rivets moulded, but also a huge moulding flaw just in the middle. So i shaved those details and used some archer rivets :

cn8zyas.jpg

 

The turtle deck conditionned air device :

ivWtpuM.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The almost finished seat (still have to paint details, add the ejection wire between the legs, and correct my dirty drybrush on the side....) and cockpit. I added a few details on the IP coaming :

YNnabTv.jpg
URORets.jpg
HWWHGsZ.jpg
DuLolTy.jpg
4DtlGGI.jpg

 

The paint chipping on the side vents results from the seat. They wont be visible once the seat is in the cockpit.

 

ANd here is were i am now. The paint job is coming ! :)

dJUsxn0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Alain and "F" !

Wake up Alain, you're in the 21st century now ! :)

No more digital bezels. Look close and you will see there is not even any HUD. It's directly projected in the helmet visor.

 

2c87f727f2ab4d9c43d869c1d4393407--fighte

 

F-35-cockpit-CU_1920x1080px.jpg

 

 

This helmet is about $400K. :)

Edited by Zero77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks !

I dont like PE belts either. But they are the only type of belts available, either the kit ones, or the Eduard ones.

For the jets, nothing is better than a nice and crispy resin seat with moulded in belts !

Edited by Zero77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

It's slow but still in progress.

 

The fit of the wings halves on the underside is far from perfect without any correction. I just added a 1mm thick plastic sheet and it's quite ok.

PpAxEbo.jpg
S99mE2H.jpg

 

Then, a tricky assembly for the glue to cure in the best position  possible :

8zRiNBl.jpg

 

And then, gap filling. I started with CA gel :

q2J0u63.jpg

 

Next i shaved the excess with a hobby knife so there is not too much to sand :

A7l21Ex.jpg

 

And after a few coats of Mr Surfacer (applied with a brush) and a serious sanding, here we are, that's fine :

183qUQh.jpg
JffUL1V.jpg

 

The underside is much more hard to treat, because it doesn't fit as good as the upper, and also because of the polygone panels you dont want to sand :

eynAtyU.jpg

 

I also finished to blend the intakes with the external fuselage. Not easy at all as you dont have a lot of access to sand :

sJmNOHF.jpg

Edited by Zero77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few cockpit pictures with the seat :

sEkwhYg.jpg
y9jgbbt.jpg
vVudPLl.jpg

 

 

On the fuselage side beside the flap, there is a visible gap. I filled it with a piece of plastic sheet and now that's OK :

NfjzCFW.jpg
0Nj1faE.jpg

 

On one side of the nose, the zig-zags was very shallow and almost invisible. So i did restore it with Mr Surfacer. I also restored a lot of panels with the same technique (masking + spraying a thick coat of primer).

MYQTOqV.jpg
7W7Wra2.jpg

 

I then glued the canopy. I usually dont glue my canopies as i prefer being able to remove it to see the cockpit, and it also allows for last time corrections inside. But in that case the fit was so terrible that i had no choice. I dont know if it's my fault or the kit's (for the bad fit...), but anyway i struggled to get it flush with the fuselage. I then had to restore the panel lines and make them looking clean.

Il714W6.jpg
QnTNLTN.jpg
tGtGlpE.jpg

Edited by Zero77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are the numerous doors, all closed on my model, which have been a struggle to make them fit, too. I filled the seams with Mr Surfacer (removed the excess with Tamiya laquer thinner), sometimes rescribed the lines, and finally slightly sanded the whole stuff. It looks ok to my taste. :)

nrxFJZt.jpg
wTenEec.jpg
4adFB6P.jpg
xinP3uX.jpg

 

 

Here is the exhaust, after a lot of work too. There is a big seam inside, and some sinks to be filled and sanded clean. Now it's ok, so i can start the paint job.

I started with some AK stainless steel on the tip of the petals, then i masked them :

EjO4BkS.jpg

 

And applied a coat of AK titanium :

TosUUJO.jpg

 

I added a ring of pale burnt metal and here is what it looks like :

WLco8Kl.jpg
p8uSsqI.jpg

 

Here is my model primed and ready to get the lighter grey :

2RqXNMf.jpg
UBx6o7L.jpg
4OFL4X4.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...