1:32 Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Seat belts

The real subject

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a single-seat multirole combat aircraft of the fifth generation. On it the cockpit is the main showcase of a model, and in 1:32 scale the view into it really is good, including the seat and its straps.

What the set is for

A large scale reveals every simplification. Belts suggested on a seat only by molded relief end up reading as part of the shell, whereas separate elements can be bent, hung over the side panels and left lying loose on the pan. That is exactly what turns a cockpit into an inhabited place rather than an empty tub.

• 1:32 scale, seat belts for the pilot seat of the F-35 aircraft
• a replacement for the belts molded in relief in the kit
• the elements can be shaped and thrown over the edges of the seat
• a rewarding modification for a model with the cockpit canopy slid back
• a small intervention that does not show on the build of the airframe

Building tips

Paint the seat and the cockpit and let them dry thoroughly, and fit the belts only as the last step. Before applying, check in the manufacturer's instructions whether the elements are applied dry or soaked in water; the procedure differs between renditions and the wrong choice ruins the element. Work with fine-tipped tweezers, round the ends of the belts with a bend over a wooden stick and let them fall over the side panels. The buckles are refined with a dot of dark paint, or by carefully polishing an edge.

Supply

This is an accessory to a model of an aircraft. Paints, glue and the seat are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.