F-35 A Lightning II 'Adir' from IAF , 1/32 scale Italeri

[rodrant]

Hi ,

This will be the first entry in this GB , the F-35 A Lightning in 1/32 scale from Italeri , will do it in a Israeli Air Force colour scheme ...actually they all look the same only changing the national insignia , this kit brings the decals to do the IAF Adir number 901 , the first of the two that arrived Israel last 2016

The 901 during presentation with IAF colours at the Locheed Martin facilities at Forth Worth , Texas




In flight



the kit





A little huge













The transparent ...well in this case orange clear parts ...and the cockpit clear part was out of the srue ...



Some clear sticker on the right and the masking stickers for the strange geometric designs that the F-35 hs on the top fuselage



Photo Etched



Instructions



Sticker masks guide



Decals





Started by doing the cokpit





Some PE to be used in the seatbelts





and foot pedals



As no clear instructions on how to paint the instruments , go to search in google in my Phone





So some Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and Vallejo Light Gull gray will do the business here ...some XF-7 Flat Red for some swithces and Joystick , yellow XF-3 for the seat --chrome silver for buckets , and we go



Some XF-24 Dark grey for the exterior paint of the ejection seat , then used some dry brushing using some light gray colour



Light Gull gray for the cockpit 'tub'



Instrument Panel , an decal applied , well decal is a little bit bigger than the dashboard ,



That clear sticker is to place on top of decal

then some photos of the finished cockpit



This decals (the red ones on the seat ) you do not see them to place in the instructions , luckly I saw some photos searching in Google on the cockpits and found where to place them









Started on upper fuselage



Some drills to be done to place Puylons and the vertical tail



The cockpit placed on the fuselage ...and again no indication on what colour to use in the antiglare panel ...guess that will be XF-1 Flat Black ..., and advice to paint it before , I will paint it later , but some masking to be done , because din't check to paint it in instructions





I was worried on the Canopy as it was broken from the sprue, it seems ok , and at this point I should decide where to have it open or closed, being such a clear view of the cockpit decided to get it closed , I don't like to see it open on this plane



Engine and lateral air intakes ...don't see really the point to make it with such detail ..as it will be lock down forever when I close fuselage ...yey...





This was painted white



And Engine with Tamiya XF-56, XF-11 and some XF-53 Light Gray , even the middle part should have been painted in a Light Ghost gray colour ,







as I mention , not too much of a point to use washes or to polish metals or so ...it is going to be hidden

All in place to go o the lower fuselage





Seems a nice fit ...



Also landing gear bays should be painted in white



And already looking as a F-35 , still a lot to do , but that would be another thread

[MarkVerploeg]

Looks nice so far
Keep up the good work

[Avgas]

Looking good. I bet you're glad of those masks for the fuselage fiddly bits!

[generalgrog]

Very nice...thank you for doing this kit. I have been wanting to build this one myself. I will be watching closely.
Great job so far!!

GG

[Lysus]

That's gonna be a big bird...I'm in! Great start.

[arilo76]

Wow that is big, really impressed with the details of cockpit, well done looking forward to see more progress.

[ElCapitan]

Excellent start!

[Tomcat64]

Wow that looks great already - looking forward to seeing how it develops

[DrSprue]

Wow awesome pit!! Very cool kit too! Count me in even if a bit late.

[rwsmith14]

Looking good !!!!