1:48 F-35B Lightning II LooKplus

1:48 F-35B Lightning II LooKplus, an Eduard accessory set

This set from the LööKplus range by the Czech maker Eduard is meant for modelers who are building the F-35B in 1:48 scale and want to push the detail markedly beyond the level of the box. LööKplus is the extended variant: to the base, which is the instrument panel with seat belts, it adds further detail parts for finishing the machine. It is an accessory, not an aircraft model; the base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.

The real subject

The F-35B Lightning II is the variant of the American single-engine fifth-generation stealth aircraft adapted for short take-off and vertical landing. Behind the cockpit it has a lift fan driven from the engine and at the rear a swiveling nozzle, so it can operate from short strips and from decks without a catapult. It carries its armament in internal bays in order to keep its radar signature low. Besides US naval aviation and the Marine Corps it has also been adopted by a number of allied countries that build on operating from smaller ships with a ski-jump deck.

Usage tips

Try every part dry before you reach for the glue: on modern machines with tight panels a hundredth of a millimeter decides. Separate the small parts with a sharp scalpel on a hard surface and never snap them off. Finish the cockpit and let it dry before you glue the fuselage halves together. The gray low-visibility scheme of the F-35 looks flat until you give it fine shading of the panels; concentrate on subtle differences of shade rather than on pronounced lines.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the F-35B in 1:48 scale who want the maximum of detail
• Anyone interested in contemporary combat aviation and fifth-generation machines
• Advanced builders used to working with small parts and photo-etched belts
• Those who prefer one complete set to buying several smaller ones