My Review & Build of Fujimi's 1/72 Scale F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, Kit#72224

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member

My Review and Build of Fujimi's 1/72 scale Kit #72224,
U.S Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, Lightning II


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Introduction and What's in the Box- - February 25, 2013

Introduction:
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is an ambitious U.S. Armed Forces jet fighter acquisition program that has been dreamed of for many decades. That is, to design and build a common aircraft that can relatively easily be designed to fit the specific needs of the U.S. Air Force (F-35A), US Marines (F-35B) and U.S. Navy (F-35C), to work in their specific envoironments. The real test for this desire is to have a very common air frame that can perform Conventional Take off and Landings (CTOL) from air bases for the U.S. Air Force, Catapault Take-offs but Barrier Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) operations from nuclear carriers for the U.S. Navy, and Short (or vertical) Take-off and Vertical Landings (STOVL) for the the U.S. Marines from U.S. Navy LHA or LHD Amphibious assault vessels or from unimproved laniding areas near the front lines...and to do all of this with suoersonic capability and high manueverability. No aircraft has ever been designed whose common airframe could do all three...that is, until the Joint Strike Fighter that is being developed by Lockheed Martin Corporation in conjunction with all three US Armed Forces and partner nations.

This aircraft is meant to be a fifth generation stealth fighter bomber for the U.S. Air Force along the lines of the F-16, a 5th generation, stealth U.S. Navy fighter/bomber along the lines of the initial F/A-18 aircraft operating off of U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers, and a 5th generation U.S. Marine ground support fighter/attack aircraft along the lines of the AV-8B HArrier II+ that can be located aboard U.S. NAvy LHA and LHD amphibious assault vessels, aboard U.S. NAvy nuclear powered aircraft carriers, or operating off of un-improved airfield near the front lines of combat for the U.S. MArines, employing its STOVL, or VTOL capabilities to do so.

Since this aircraft is meant to replace so many different aircraft types over a several decade period, and since it is employing new structural, flight dynamics, stealth, and communications technology, it will be the most expensive weapons system ever designed by the U.S. Military, and therefore also the most expensive weapons system ever designed in the world. Numerous allied nations have partnered with the U.S. at various levels in the development and funding of this aircraft. Several other countries have expressed interest as customers of one or the other of the varieties of the aircraft once the it is in production.

As of this writing in February 2013, the intial production aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marines are already being produced in intial, low production batches and being made operational for various logistical and training wings for those two services. The initial low production aircraft have been made available to the U.S. NAvy but are still undergoing pre-acceptance testing and none have been made operational to date. Full scale production of all three models is slated to begin in 2017 once all tests and performance criteria are met.

To date over 60 aircraft have been produced in low production capanbility and are being flown by all three services. This includes the first two international deliveries to the United Kingdom.

U.S. Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter:
The need for a new STOVL/VTOL aircraft to replace the aging AV-8B HArrier II+ fleet is pressing on the U.S. Marine Corps. No other aircraft is available or on the horizon which can meet the U.S. MArine Corps needs. To date, the F-35B JSF, Lightning II has performed well in its flight characteristics with initial qualification flight testing already having occurred off of the USS Wasp, LHD-1. The initial wing of aircraft is already being formed up to work as a tactical fighter wing training pilots for future full combat roles and duties.

The ability to have a 5th generation, very stealthy, very network centric, STOVL or VTOL, supersonic aircraft available to the U.S. MArines for U.S. MArine ground support and air cover is critical. the new USS America Class LHA vessels have been designed to maximize the capabilities of the F-35B. These vessels contain no well deck and have much larger and enhanced aircraft handling capabilities to allow them to perform air assault en masse against enemy beachheads or positions, and to be supported by the Joint Strike Fighters aboard. In addition, these vessels have been designed from the outset to also function as Sea Control Carriers, embarking several wings of F-35s, up to 20-24 aircraft, to act as a full fledged aircraft carrier in either U.S. MArine support roles, or in Sea Control roles including war at sea. This will free up nuclear powered "fleet" carriers from these duties. Therefore the F-35B takes on even more importance.

Equally, with US allies who utilize STOBAR carriers without catapualts, like the United Kingdom's new 65,000 tons Queen Elizabeth Carriers (or the Italian, Spanish, Australian, and eventual JApanese and Korean LHDs and LHA type vessels) these aircraft will be operated by those countries for their own naval air operations.

The Kit and What's in the Box:
The first, and to date, only 1/72 scale pre-production/production Joint Strike Fighter in an injected molded kit is this kit by Fuijimi of the F-35B, STOVL version of the aircraft.

Fujimi is known for making very good injected molded kits with little or no flash and little or no warping. This model is no exception. One of the things you cannot help but notice when opening the kit is the fact that the kit comes molded in four different colors. A dark gray for all of the major structural and flight surface, a gunmetal color for the engine which is very detailed and availabel to be built in two varieties...both canted down for VTOL and straight back for level flight, white sprues for the landing gear bays, weapons bays, and cockpit, and finally a cler sprue withg two cockpit glass...one clear and one tinted. Both of those are extrremely clear and well done...except that there is no canopy brace structure across the middle of the glass, seperating the front of the cockpit from the part over the pilot. This will require etching and paitning to have the proper look. I have to say that the gray and gun metal sprues are very nicely...even excellently done. The whitte sprue parts, on th eother hand, not so much. The cockpit is very vanilla and the ejection seat is absolutely not detailed and somewhat disappointg. The weapons (a couple of JDAM munitions and AMRAAM missiles, are also light on the details and a bit thick on the control fins.

Oh well, no big deal, the availability of more modern and realistic ejection seats and 1/72 scale weaponry will clear up these minor issues nicely.

Finally, one issue not so easily cleared up. The Kit is clearly designed to show all of the various compartments, louvers, fans, etc. in the open condition for VTOL flight. For the most part this is very well done. The detail in these compartments (including the landing gear and weapons bays are very, very good (even if the wepaons themselves are somehwat lackoing), but they absolutely forgot the section directly behind the lift fan behind the cockpit. There is a section there that olpens up in vertical flight that has not been allowed for in this kit. The recessed lines for the panels are there, but they not only cannot open, there is no underlying detail behind them even if they were. Scratch building the underlying structure would not be terribly difficuly, but cutting the doors out of the model structure will prove troublesome.

All in all however, I have to say that the model parts look very good and the kit should build up into a very nice model...as we shall see.

The decals are for the 1st pre-production aircraft, BF-01, with all of the various partner nation markings, the Lockheed Martin markings, and the stylized vertical stabilizer markings. I intend to use the U.S. military markings and normal warning decals, but will also make this aircraft up as an intial production U.S. Marine aircraft.

Here's what you get in the box, which itself is a nice pictorial representation of the aircraft:


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The instructions are very well done with very detailed build up pictures and schematice which are intuitive. The painting scheme is also well done, but not in glossy color...but it will work just fine.


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I am using a U.S. Marine paint shecme similar to my Haesgawa F/A-18D U.S. Marine fighter. Using neutral gray for the upper surfaces, and light gull gray (which is just a few shades lighter) for the lower surfaces, then white for all of the enterior bays, very dark gray for the cockpit, and Engine gray for the engine. Current paint schemes show the JSF in all the same shade of gray for the body, dark gray for the cockpit, white for the bays and an engine gray or gunmetaal color for the engine, and that is fine, I just like that F/A-18D color sheme a lot. LOL!


The Build - Initial Painting[/b]- - February 27, 2013


So, I first cut the attachment points and sprue attachments off of the various upper surfaces and painted them in the Model Master Neutral Gray color:


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Then it was time to paint the lower aircraft surfaces in the slightly lighter shade of gray, Model MAster Light Gull Gray (though I may go back and paint over this with Dark Gull Gray).


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So, next we will be painting all of the bay surfaces flat white, the cockpit, the tires, and the various pneumatic/shocks in steel or aluminum depending on the part. I hope to also be able to get the after market JDAMS and AIM-120s I have painted up for the weapons bay. That will be the next session, after which we will begin assembly.
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SCHEDULE for Future Activities- - February 28, 2013

- By Mar 03, 2012: Complete Fujimi 1/72 scale US Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
- By Mar 17, 2013: Complete Trumpeter USS Freedom, LCS-1
- By May 01, 2013: Complete entire PLAN Carrier Group.
- By Jun 15, 2013: Complete entire US Carrier Group (Just the CSG).
- By Jul 01, 2013: Start the UK Carrier Group Centered on Airfix's HMS Illustrious.
- By Aug 15, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Oct 01, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- By Nov 15, 2013, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.

The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed
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, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) will incluide Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168; the PLAN Ningbo, DDG-139; and the PLAN ChangZhang5, SSN-405 by Hobby Boss. If a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, is ever released, I will add one of those, propbably LPD-999, Jinggangshan and build a PLAN ARG.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed
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, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) will include Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. (Both of which I already own). 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. Whatever Ford Class coms out, I will build her as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

The UK Group will indlude the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious (which I already own), two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (which I also already have), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (which I already own), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN, both of which which I already own. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and a 1/350 HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will add both.

The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale 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 it and add it to the group as well.

The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG (which I have purchased), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Tachanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soo as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group.

The completion of the US ARG will include
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(which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25's 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobbies USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and andother Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS LAssen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.

Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which is available but I have not purchased yet) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udalaoy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the
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, which I have already completed.

Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhoawk and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.

Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian 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 worth of work!

You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:

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...and most of their surface escorts at:

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Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Major Painting Completed, detail parts and assembly started


The Build - Completed painting and initial assembly - March 1, 2013

Once the major portions of the model had been painted their respective hues of gray, it was time to attack some of the detailed portions of the model and complete the vast majority of the overall painting. This included the weapons bay, landing gear bays, and the landing gear, wheels, and the cockpit area. Here's how they are looking:


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Then it was on to some minor sub assembly of the lift fan area as well as the main engine, which I intend to depict in the vertical lift position. The engine is noicely detailed and getting the fan blades appropriately painted and positioned were straight forward. Some initial minor assmbly now began occurring allowing these to come together, along with the detail painting. Here's how that is all looking:


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In doing all of this, some minor cleaning up of the pieces were required to remove partial spurs and rough places left over from detaching the pieces from their sprues. As always, the exacto knife comes in most handy here, along with various sand paper and file if necessary, and finally, if it is really serious, the dremel tool and its attachments. In this case however, a few shavings by the exacto knife more than sufficed.

Over the next couple of days now, serious assembly of the aircraft can begin, as well as finding and applying the necessary detail parts into the weapons bay area and the cockpit to replace or supplement the parts supplied by Fujimi.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Alterations, Major Assembly, decals, & model completion!


The Build - Alterations, Major Assembly, decals, and completing the model - March 4, 2013

Ok, with the initial sassemblies in place, it was time to make a couple of the alterations I discussed when talking about the kit. Namely to cut out the horizontal stabilizors and rear ailerons and position them correctly for vertaical take-off and landings. I used and exacto knife as there were convienent seams already prestn. By careully scribing the model parts along those seams, and then doing it several times over, pressing a littly harder each time in the deepening cut I was making, I was able to reach a point where I simply ben the part and they broke cleanly along those lines. In the case of the ailerons I also have to scribe a couple of lines perpindicular to the main line so I could "cut ouyt" the whole thing and in those cases I went ahead and used the knife to cut all the way through.

In addition, at this point I decided to emply some of the after market kits and peces I have in my stacsh to address the weapons for the weapons bay. In both cases, the AIM-120 missiles and the GBU-31 JDAM munitions were not only very lacking in detail with larger fins than was proportional, they were actually too short in both cases. I used the Hasegawa 1/72 US munitions kit for JDAM and guided munitions, and the kit for air-to-air munitions for the JDAMs and the AIM-210 (AMRAAM) missiles respectively.

Also, on the kit, for the principal intake fan and opening right behind the cockpit, the actuators on either side (small hydrauliclly operated actuators, were notr present. I simply used some old 1/700 18" main gun barrells I had left over from a Yamoto build I was doing with one of my grandsons, cut them to length, and then painted them silver and they sufficed just fine. Here's how all of that looked.



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Now it was time to put the decals on and finish this aircraft.

I opted to make the aircraft look as much like the first actual fighter/attack wing being stood up right now for the U.S. Marines, VMFA-121, at the U.S. Marine Corps base in Yuma, AZ.


f-35b-12.jpg


This required removing all of the Lockheed Martin decals and promotional markings, and replacing them with the actual U.S. Marine markings. I had some left over low-visibility markings from an old Hasegawa A-6E Marine aircraft to help. What I ended up lacking was the "K" for the VK marking on the tail, the actual serial number marking for the aircraft located behind the MARINE marking on either side, and the actual "VMFA-121" markings for either side of the aircraft But other than that, she is looking very good.

I sprayed the aircraft with a good layer of high gloss coat, and then spent about 10 hours putting all of those decals on the aircraft over a couple of day period. Then after dryng, I did some touch up paint work and then painted the cockpit supprt brace on the forward part of the cockpit (which is completely left out in this model), I then sprayed the entire model with a couple of coats of dull coat, and finally, very last, glued the cockpit window omnto the aircraft and took pictures of the now completed U.S. Marine F-35B of attack Squadron VMFA-121.


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Now that is a decent looking F-35B Lightning II VSTOL aircraft if I do so so myself!


SCHEDULE for Future Activities- - March 4, 2013

- By Apr 15, 2013: Complete entire PLAN Carrier Group.
- By Jun 01, 2013: Complete entire US Carrier Group (Just the CSG).
- By Jul 15, 2013: Start the UK Carrier Group Centered on Airfix's HMS Illustrious.
- By Sep 01, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group Centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Oct 15, 2013: Start the French Carrier group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- By Dec 01, 2013, Start the US ARG centered on the USS Iwo Jima and USS Sommerset.

The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) will incluide Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168; the PLAN Ningbo, DDG-139; and the PLAN ChangZhang5, SSN-405 by Hobby Boss (All of which I own). If a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, is ever released, I will add one of those, propbably LPD-999, Jinggangshan and build a PLAN ARG.

The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) will include Trumpter's USS Freedom, LSC-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. (Both of which I already own). 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. Whatever Ford Class coms out, I will build her as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.

The UK Group will indlude the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious (which I already own), two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (which I also already have), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (which I already own), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN, both of which which I already own. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and a 1/350 HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will add both.

The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale 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 it and add it to the group as well.

The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG (which I have purchased), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami (A Tachanami Class DDG which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soo as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group.

The completion of the US ARG will include
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
(which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25's 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobbies USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and andother Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS LAssen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.

Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which is available but I have not purchased yet) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udalaoy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
, which I have already completed.

Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhoawk and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.

Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian 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 worth of work!

You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


...and most of their surface escorts at:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 
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