1:32 F-35A Lightning II late cockpit (Basic edition with 3D decals) for Italeri / Academy kit

A cockpit run by a single touchscreen

Late production F-35A Lightning II machines have a pilot's compartment unlike any older combat aircraft. Classic dials have disappeared altogether and their place has been taken by a single panoramic touchscreen display across the full width of the instrument panel. A new-generation ejection seat and reworked side consoles have been added. Kits in 1:32 scale capture this transformation only roughly, even though it is the most conspicuous place on the whole model and is perfectly visible under an opened canopy.

The set replaces the original tub with a new resin casting and completes it with so-called three-dimensional decals. These are printed, layered films with a raised relief that are stuck onto the panel and the consoles and, once dry, look like real displays and controls, the depth of the bezels included.

Who this upgrade is tailored for

It assumes that you dare to cut away part of the original interior and to check repeatedly whether the fuselage still closes with the new part inside. There is no way round measuring and patiently removing material. Anyone building their first large aircraft, or wanting the model finished over a weekend, should reach for a decal set for the instrument panel alone, or for a photo-etched fret; the effect will be smaller, but the risk of the fuselage not closing is practically nil. For the builder who leaves the cockpit open and treats it as the main display area of the model, on the other hand, this is exactly the upgrade whose effect shows at first glance.