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X-35A, Revell, 1/48 FINISHED

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 12:49 pm
by Stikpusher
So I bought this kit long ago while on deployment overseas. It was on clearance at our base PX.

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I have held off building it for one reason or another. But with my recent move and seeing F-35s flyover and near my new home nearly every day I have developed a great fondness for this aircraft, and the urge to build one. I researched this kit and saw that it would be a huge project to make it into the production type. But with some minor tweaks, it is easily corrected into the flight test development prototype. So I raided another kit and obtained the long flight test nose instrumentation boom. And being an old So. Cal. native with personal and family connections to the aerospace industry there, as well as multiple visits to Edwards AFB, this project took root...

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So I started this build yesterday, with the added impetus of trying out my recently acquired Micro Weld glue. (shameless self plug to read my review here) I started with the basic cockpit assembly yesterday. But I think that I’m going to dress it up a bit based off what little that I can see in photos of the X-35A and X-35B prototypes. Which are actually the same airframe, but after A flight test was complete, the aircraft was sent back to the plant for modification into the B configuration.

Anyways, here are the photos of my basic cockpit construction

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And basic seat, which I’m going to modify

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Stay tuned for more eventual updates...

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:36 pm
by speedgraflex
:popcorn:

Subscribed! I am making popcorn in reality too. How did you find the exact photo Revell used for their box art??? A fantastic score, right there.

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 3:49 pm
by keavdog
Cool. We have them here at Miramar.

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:06 pm
by Stikpusher
keavdog wrote:Cool. We have them here at Miramar.
F-35B or F-35C I imagine...

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:07 pm
by Stikpusher
And just for a little Edwards flight test X plane inspiration...


Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:09 pm
by Stikpusher
speedgraflex wrote::popcorn:

Subscribed! I am making popcorn in reality too. How did you find the exact photo Revell used for their box art??? A fantastic score, right there.
Just do an image search for X-35... it pops up

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:21 pm
by mostrich
When I saw the box I immediately thought oh no, why not the Meng kit? But then I read your remarks and I have to say that I already love this project because PROTOTYPE!

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:31 pm
by Stikpusher
Yup.." the X plane version... with the Edwards AFB flight test markings and Lockheed skunk works logo...

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Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 4:46 pm
by LyleW
Should’ve a good one! I have to say that I’m not a fan of this aircraft, though...which is worth the paper it is written on.

Re: X-35A, Revell, 1/48

Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 5:10 pm
by Floki
This will be a fun build. Reading when you got this kit made me realize that the F-35 has been in production for awhile. Where I work we are still doing a lot of work for the F-22 engine project and the F-35 engine blades is know as the new job even though we've been working on it to for over 10 years.