1:32 F-35A Lightning II

What kind of set this is

Photo-etched metal parts for an F-35A Lightning II model in 1:32 scale. Photo-etching can do what a plastic part from a kit cannot: the thickness is a fraction of a millimeter, so the edges of covers, meshes or small reinforcements look appropriately thin in scale and do not add needless bulk to the model. In the large 1:32 scale this difference is particularly easy to see, because the model is examined from close up. Which parts of the model the set complements is given in the manufacturer's instructions; go by them when laying out the build.

The real subject

The F-35A Lightning II is an American single-seat multirole fighter. The A version is meant for conventional runways, unlike the B version for short takeoff and the carrier-borne C version. The shape of the airframe is subordinated to a reduced radar signature, so the surface is made up of large smooth areas and faceted edges; that is exactly why fine parting lines and thin cover edges stand out on a model.

How to work with photo-etched parts

Separate the parts from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard backing, not with nippers, which bend the metal. Level the remains of the tab with a fine file. Make bends over a sharp edge, ideally in a bending tool or between the jaws of flat tweezers, and make them the first time; repeated bending fatigues the metal and it snaps. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue in minute drops, or with two-part epoxy where you need time to seat them. Degrease the parts before painting and coat them with primer. Finish whatever belongs inside before you close the fuselage up.

• photo-etched metal parts for a model in 1:32 scale
• the real subject is the F-35A Lightning II
• a thinness that cannot be achieved with a plastic part
• the range of the set is given in the manufacturer's instructions

The aircraft kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.