1:48 F-35A

The real subject

The F-35A Lightning II is an American single-seat multirole combat aircraft designed with difficult detection in mind. It therefore carries its armament in internal bays in the fuselage so that it does not disturb the shape of the airframe, and its surface is divided into flowing areas without sharp edges. The letter A denotes the form for conventional take-off and landing from ground runways; unlike the other two versions it has a built-in gun. The cockpit sits high and is covered by a canopy without a fixed central frame.

What the set solves

These are photo-etched parts for 1:48 scale. Etched sheet is thin and carries definition that an injection-molded part in this scale cannot reach, so it is used where plastic is too coarse for the scale. Which parts of the model the set covers and where the individual parts belong is given by the manufacturer's instructions, so compare the set with your own kit before building.

• 1:48 scale, photo-etched parts for a model of the F-35A
• an accessory to a kit rather than a model in its own right
• thin sheet with finer definition than an injection-molded part gives
• the extent of the set and the placement of the parts according to the manufacturer's instructions

Building tips

The parts are held on the carrier sheet by narrow tabs. Separate them with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not with pliers, or the sheet will buckle. Make the bends over the edge of a bending tool or a ruler. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue applied in a minute amount; for larger areas epoxy suits well, because it gives time to line the part up. Before painting, degrease the sheet and apply a base coat meant for metal. A number of the parts belong inside the airframe, so go through the sequence in advance and fit them before you close the fuselage.

Terms of supply

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