1:48 Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II exhaust nozzle - opened position

The exhaust nozzle of the F-35A Lightning II in 1:48 scale — opened position

This item is a resin accessory from the Aires brand, not an aircraft kit. It replaces the exhaust nozzle on a model of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II in 1:48 scale, in the opened position. The designation opened position in the name sets this set apart from a version with the nozzle closed, so make sure when ordering which one you need. The opened position matches a machine with the engine running, the closed one an aircraft parked on the apron.

The real subject

The F-35A Lightning II is a single-engine multirole aircraft with conventional takeoff and landing, powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. Its nozzle is large and complex in shape, with a set of overlapping petals, and on a model in the large 1:48 scale it is one of the most conspicuous features of the rear end. A plastic kit manages this shape only with limited depth and with a thick edge; a resin casting can thin the petals down and deepen the duct.

Building and painting tips

Wash the casting in warm water with detergent because of the mold release agent. Cut the casting block off with a saw or a cutting disc, true the surface up on abrasive paper on glass and try it dry before you reach for glue. It is bonded with super glue (cyanoacrylate). Spray the inside of the nozzle before you seat it in the rear end. A combination of metallic shades with a warm hint of brown and blue toward the ends of the petals suits the nozzle; apply metallic paints at the very end of the build, because they mask badly and do not take being painted over. Sand wet and protect your airways.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the F-35A in 1:48 scale
• Those who want the model with the nozzle in the opened position
• Builders who are bothered by the thick petal edges from a plastic kit
• Modelers used to working with resin and to painting metallic surfaces

This is an accessory for a kit, not a stand-alone model. The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted; paints, glue and the base kit are not included in the package.