1:144 YF-22 Lightning II.

The real subject

The YF-22 was a prototype built for the American program for a fighter aircraft of the new generation. Out of the competition, in which it faced a rival machine, came the type later produced under the designation F-22. But a prototype is not the same thing as a production aircraft: it differs in outline, in the shape and the cant of the vertical tail surfaces and in the seating of the canopy, so in a display case it stands beside the production version as a type of its own. It was a twin-engined aircraft with its armament hidden in internal bays and with movable nozzles that directed the thrust in the vertical plane. The name Lightning II, which the product name carries, was associated with the prototype at the time of the trials; it is not the official name of the production aircraft.

What the kit contains

A plastic kit in 1:144 scale. At this size the finished aircraft has a span of around nine centimeters, so it fits on a shelf even where the large scales have no room. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted, with the parts held on sprues. The contents of the package, the number of parts and the color options offered are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

A small scale forgives less than it seems: every sanded-through joint on the edge of a leading edge shows on a small model. So fill the joints of the fuselage halves and sand them down with fine paper. Thin the wash for the panel lines more than you would on large models, so that the lines stay merely suggested and the model does not look coarse. Bring the gray finish to life with small differences of shade between the panels, not with contrast.

Who it is for

For collectors of modern aircraft in a small scale and for anyone interested in the development out of which the production F-22 came. Paints, glue and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.