fasteagle12 Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 https://spruebrothers.com/trp03230-1-32-trumpeter-f-35c-lightning-ii/ I'm not sure if this has been posted but this one is for sale now.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 Yep, got one on the way. Unfortunately, jumped too soon since Squadron had them for $200 before they went out of stock. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 I'm slowly getting out of that scale so I'll have to take a long hard look at this one...I didn't know it was coming so I haven't seen any reviews. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 I had heard that it was recently released, but was surprised that it showed up over here so fast. Haven’t seen any build reviews yet, probably a bit too new. Some sprue shots in this thread. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235109692-132-lockheed-martin-f-35c-lightning-ii-by-trumpeter-released/ Instructions here. https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/9/5/2/1404952-42-instructions.pdf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 Just picked up the Trump F-35C and very impressed with the very restrained surface detail. Upper RAM panels are very nicely done and to my eye the finest ive seen first hand in 48th or 32nd including the new Tamiya F-35. Surprised this kit hasnt received more attention as on initial looks after buying it appears very very nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 10 hours ago, dehowie said: Just picked up the Trump F-35C and very impressed with the very restrained surface detail. Upper RAM panels are very nicely done and to my eye the finest ive seen first hand in 48th or 32nd including the new Tamiya F-35. Surprised this kit hasnt received more attention as on initial looks after buying it appears very very nice. I’ve had the kit for a while now, and my first impression of the ram panels is that they are still overscale, about the same as on the Italeri F-35A. I do think the cockpit and seat are nicer than the Italeri kit. I’d imagine that a lot of the kit not being popular is due to the F-35C not being very popular. People most want the A because it’s used by a number of users, or the B because to looks cool with the raised lift fan door and swiveled down exhaust (although they are almost never actually parked that way), but the C has limited users, and is just basically an A with slightly longer folding wings. My impressions from this thread at LSP. https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/94216-trumpeter-f-35c-at-sprue-brothers/ Got the kit today. No real surprises as the instructions have been posted, plus the sprue shots are available on the web. Surface detail seems nice, although the raised RAM panels are overdone like almost every F-35 or F-22 kit out there, regardless of the scale. At first glance, the weapons don’t seem too bad, other than the AIM-9X not having any representation of an exhaust, and the thrust vector vanes are completely missing. The kit also includes parts for the external gun pod, which are strangely marked “not for use”, although the pod itself is just a featureless shape. I’m curious once the parts go together if there is an issue with the extended positioning of the AIM-120s in the weapon bay. The assembly drawings suggest that the nose of the missile extends forward past the front edge of the bay and inner bay door. From the few pictures of AIM-120s on F-35Cs that I’ve seen, I don’t think that’s right and don’t think the missile extends forward as it deploys. Bays themselves look OK, and seem somewhat busy with detail, being made of multiple parts (sides, roof) instead of basically one piece like Italeri, although the wiring detail seems a little faint for the scale. The exhaust looks OK from the outside, and looks big enough, unlike the undersized Italeri exhaust, but the inside is just smooth featureless petals. There also appears to be a slight sink mark ring inside the exhaust. One big disappointment is that there is no detail whatsoever in the afterburner tube between the flame ring and the exhaust nozzle. It isn’t clear why Trumpeter couldn’t put something to represent the interior lining. Trumpeter did detail the exterior of the engine, but since there isn’t any provision for displaying the engine out of the plane, or any open fuselage panels, it’s completely wasted unless the modeler does their own surgery. To be fair, Italeri did some of the same stuff on their engine. The wings (out to the fold line) are molded as part of the upper and lower fuselage halves, so there’s no wing to fuselage joint to deal with like on the Italeri kit. The intake tunnels are refreshingly ejection pin mark free and the rubber tires look nice, not greasy vinyl and free of mold lines or flash. Absent any bad building surprise or gross accuracy issue, it seems like a decent kit, overall on par with the Italeri A model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 On the real aircraft how proud of the surface is the ram tape? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 I got one a few weeks back. Yea, a little proud on the RAM tape. I’m planning on spending a lot of time doing some wet sanding with some 400 grit wrapped around some rubber hose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said: On the real aircraft how proud of the surface is the ram tape? Not very... Edited October 16, 2022 by fasteagle12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 I dont know, that first photo of the triangle area the ridge looks quite pronounced to me while the top edge makes it look like its not there at all. I would be surprised if Tamiya get it wrong. In fact knowing how they work I would say its far more likely that the opinion here is wrong. Especailly looking at the right side of the triangle shape in the first photo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 Why does everyone think it is "tape" ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 (edited) 11 hours ago, habu2 said: Why does everyone think it is "tape" ? Looking at that picture, which is the first time Ive seen it in such "close up" detail Im not really sure. It clearly isnt "a tape" in the traditional sense at least. Its not like its akin or equal to say for instance 3M masking tape, which is what I assumed it was like going by the conversation on here and other modelling web sites, videos etc. That is why I asked what its really like, how proud of the surface it really is because I think it is far more likely for peoples opinions to be wrong than for Tamiya to get it wrong. especially as they must have had access to the original. And yes I realise we are talking at cross purposes in the this thread is about the Trumpeter kit and I sight the Tamiya kit however the age old gripe of modellers and it being wrong in their opinion always seems to be the same way regardless. Edited October 16, 2022 by ElectroSoldier Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted October 16, 2022 Share Posted October 16, 2022 To be honest, it doesn’t really matter what people call it. Whether it’s RAM panels, RAM tape, putty or whatever, nearly everyone understands what we’re talking about when referring to a model kit. Regardless of the technically accurate term, what people care about in these discussions is whether the feature is raised too high on the kit surface. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 I just checked the height of the 1/48 Meng A and Kitty Hawk C kits and they measure about .004 and .005 respectively (depending on where I measured). That would make the RAM height 1" on the Meng and 1 1/4" on the KH. Visually, it seems to confirm that those models are much higher than the real aircraft. Hopefully, as mentioned, the new Trumpeter kit is closer to the real thing. Unfortunately, I'm slowly reducing my 1/32 kits since I don't have the display space so I won't be getting it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dehowie Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Just to readjust my view on the RAM on the Trump F-35C. Looking under better light now i have the kit rather than through plastic it does look a little to pronounced in line with what Dave said. One thing in the Trump kits favor is i think the plates look pronounced is the are molded extremely sharply with seemingly vertical edges. Using a magnifier the sharp edges are part of the reason they look a little to proud. Id suggest a very light sand to take the sharpness off the edges will give a very reasonable impression of RAM. The kit is very very well tooled and extremely sharp and i think its worked against Trump in this case with the edges. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kellyF15 Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 On 10/16/2022 at 1:31 AM, habu2 said: Why does everyone think it is "tape" ? Some of it is literal L.O. tape, the thicker edges are thick rubber boot material. and some of it is paste. No where is it called RAM. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 (edited) L.O. tape? as far as calling it RAM? https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dn-models-32-827-012-ram-panels-paint-masks-f-35a-lightning-ii-1-32--1112318 Edited October 24, 2022 by Scott Smith Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kellyF15 Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 2 hours ago, Scott Smith said: L.O. tape? as far as calling it RAM? https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dn-models-32-827-012-ram-panels-paint-masks-f-35a-lightning-ii-1-32--1112318 Yes we call it tape because its literally tape. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kellyF15 Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 2 hours ago, Scott Smith said: L.O. tape? as far as calling it RAM? https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dn-models-32-827-012-ram-panels-paint-masks-f-35a-lightning-ii-1-32--1112318 Im just answering the dudes question LOL. He asked "LO tape?" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Oh, miss understood me. I want to know what LO tape is. 🤡 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 I suspect LO = low observable, i.e. “stealth.” Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kellyF15 Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 15 hours ago, Dave Williams said: I suspect LO = low observable, i.e. “stealth.” Yes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/16/2022 at 3:44 PM, fasteagle12 said: I just checked the height of the 1/48 Meng A and Kitty Hawk C kits and they measure about .004 and .005 respectively (depending on where I measured). That would make the RAM height 1" on the Meng and 1 1/4" on the KH. Sorry, but your measurements are way off. One inch in 1/48 scale is .021 actual .004 actual is roughly 3/16th of an inch in 48th scale Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted October 26, 2022 Author Share Posted October 26, 2022 Thanks Dave. I'm not sure what factor I used to come up with those numbers. .005 would be just under a 1/4 inch and with that number, I wouldn't think the the kits were that far off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bsin Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 I'm so confused! LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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