1:32 ​F-35B Lightning II - cockpit (Detailed edition) (3D Printed) for Trumpeter

Reskit 1:32 - F-35B cockpit, detailed version

A set made by 3D printing that replaces the cockpit on a model of the F-35B aircraft in 1:32 scale. The detailed version goes further in the layout of the pilot's station than the basic one: it draws out the fine edges of the panels, the mountings and the small items that an injection mold cannot produce without a parting line. The result will be appreciated above all by anybody building the model with the canopy open, where the cockpit is visible from above and from the side. The set is not a model of the aircraft.

The real subject

The F-35B is the variant of the Lightning II with the ability to take off in a short distance and land vertically. The lift fan behind the cockpit and the swiveling nozzle at the rear make it the most complex member of the family in design terms. The pilot's station is very similar on all the versions and its most striking feature is the single large touchscreen panel that has replaced a conventional group of instruments. The ejection seat is common to the whole family.

Building and painting tips

The printed parts are held on thin supports. Snip them off close to the part and level the face with a file or a scalpel; pliers would snap the thin section. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Apply a primer before painting, or the print texture will show through. First spray the cockpit in the base shade, then bring out the edges with a dry brush and finally draw out the recesses with a dark wash.

Who the set is for

• For builders of contemporary combat aircraft in 1:32 scale.
• For modelers building the model with the canopy open.
• For display-case models where the cockpit is the main draw.

This is an accessory, not a complete model. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted.