The Humbrol paints are quite thick and I suppose really intended for application with the supplied brushes. I used an airbrush and found that thinning with water worked better than using my usual Vallejo thinners.
The Humbrol grey was not very resilient. I had primed with Vallejo flat black primer and this became exposed at the wing roots through simply handling the model to mask it for the contrasting lighter panels. I touched up these areas before adding gloss clear coat and decals.
The lighter panels at the nose, air intakes, control surfaces and on the tailplanes were added using Medium Sea Grey - the same shade I used as the main body colour of my Italeri F-35B.
The starter kit nature of this model is reflected in its sturdiness: the wings and control surfaces have thick, square edges that I only really rounded off a little. The decals are also limited in number, but they are for the UK variant.
The jet exhaust nozzle lacks the characteristic conical shape of the F-35. I haven't cemented the engine and nozzle in place, as I may consider replacing them once a more representative after-market one becomes available.
This model is intended to represent a later plane than the Italeri one: once the RAF had established a scheme with matching (darker) paint and RF absorbent tape. This means no elaborate masking or decals and a very boring look. This is why I, at least, added the lighter nose and some other panels in a lighter colour.
The kit comes with a stand and two mounting stems. I used the shorter vertical one, intended for the gear down build option, to hold the model for paining. This slightly longer canted version provides for a more dramatic in-flight pose. The 'shadow' base looks cool.
That's better! The two kits complement each other perfectly. There is no doubt that the Italeri is the more complete kit and was much more of a rewarding challenge to build and paint, but I also needed to scratch the in-flight itch. The Airfix kit was a perfect contrast: a quick, easy build that captures the essence of the stealth nature of this plane in current UK service.
Its not a massive change but I feel better for having a more conical nozzle.
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9 27 September 2023, 12:37
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After completing my long-stashed Italeri F-35B I was a little frustrated that the underlying design was obscured by all the opened panels. I decided to complement it with a buttoned-up in-flight companion. The Airfix starter set looked ideal as it would be simple and quick to build, included a pilot and stand and was the only option to come with UK markings... (it was cheap too!)
