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Boeing
X-32 JSF Demonstrator
Italeri
Kit 1208
The
Joint Strike Fighter, JSF, program is intended to provide an aircraft that will
replace the existing F-16, F/A-18, Harrier and Jaguar aircraft in the 21st
century. The aircraft will utilize
latest design and construction technologies to provide stealth capabilities,
high maneuverability and increased range for both air-to-air and air-to-surface
missions. The two main competitors
were the X-35 from Lockheed and the X-32 from Boeing. The X-35 is a design similar to Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor
while the X-32 design is a much more unique and radical design.
It
now appears that the Lockheed design has won the competition, however, I knew
that I had to add the Boeing aircraft to my collection.
It is so unique, some say ugly, with it’s delta wing, protruding air
intake and thick fuselage, that it really stands out from the normal models.
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Italeri kit assembled without any major problems although I made a minor
change to the sequence. I
glued the intake assembly, parts 6A and 7A, to the lower fuselage rather
than the upper. I wanted to
ensure a clean joint inside the air intake and felt that I could clean up
any problems when the upper and lower fuselage joined.
This worked out very well for me.
I
chose to display the model with the armament bay open.
This did not cause any major problems although there are a lot of
doors in a small area around the starboard landing gear.
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The
cockpit is basic but I added some details that were shown on the Boeing web
site. I used the kit ejection seat
and added etched brass seat belts. The
kit features nicely engraved panel lines that are similar to the prototype
airplane but not exact. Real
fanatics should fill all of the panel lines on the wing upper surface, add the
air refueling probe door along side the cockpit, and change a number of the
fuselage lines. Also, the engraving
along the wing leading edge should be modified to reflect the wing slats.
I figured that since this was a prototype, I ignored most of the panel
line changes, especially the top of the wing.
Two
excellent references on the X-32 are Airpower, May 2001 and International Air
Power Review, issue one. Outside of the panel line problems noted above, the
twin rudders are way too narrow. They
appear to be left over from an F-117 model. With this exception, the model looks
like the prototype. The wingspan
measures out correctly according to the information in the Air Power Review.
The prototype was painted overall F.S. 36375, Light Ghost Gray but showed
lots of dirt and color changes as it completed it’s test program.
I painted the model overall with Testors 1728 Light Ghost Gray and then
accentuated some panels and control surface edges with Testors 1741 Dark Ghost
Gray. Panel lines, except for those
on top of the wing, and control surfaces were accentuated with a mix of oil
paints. Finally, I used streaks of
Tamiya Smoke to simulate the oil and fluid streaking very visible on the bottom
of the fuselage.
The
decal sheet provides all of the markings that the prototype carried except for
ejection seat warning triangles. These
came from the spare’s box. The
modeler must use some actual photos of the prototype to determine the placement
of the decals. Both the color
drawing on the back of the box and the drawing in the plans are wrong.
The prototype did not carry national insignia and both drawings show the
JSF Program emblem too far toward the rear.
The decals are correct but other references must be used to position
them.
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I
can live with the errors in the kit in order to add this unique, one of a kind
model to my collection. I am
pleased with the final result and would recommend this kit to anyone who can
live with the shape problems or who like scratchbuilding some parts as
necessary.
Clare
To
see more of Clare's model....visit Clare's
Corner
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