Tamiya Aircraft Series No.125 - 1/48 F-35B Lightning II US Marine Corps

An Ambitious Design

The F-35® Lightning II is an ambitious project that aims to provide - in a single overarching design - aircraft tailored to three different services' distinct needs; that it does in the form of the F-35A (for the Air Force), F-35B (Marines) and F-35C (Navy). Perhaps the most stunning of the three is the innovative F-35B, which was designed to succeed the AV-8B Harrier II, and is a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft thanks to a lift fan installed between the cockpit and the engine, plus the 3 Bearing Swivel Module mechanism. Rather impressively, it also manages to combine extremely low observability characteristics with exemplary situational awareness provided by the numerous sensors across the aircraft. The F-35B is expected to serve mainly from aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships; as of 2023, the British Royal Navy and the Italian Navy have started deployment, and the Japan Air Self Defense Force also expects to see F-35Bs with its units from 2024.

- This is a 1/48 scale plastic model assembly kit. Length: 325mm, wingspan: 222mm.
- The model can be assembled as one of three types: parked, short takeoff and vertical landing.
- Fine recreations of Radar Absorbent Material (RAM) are molded into fuselage surfaces.
- Engine duct and nozzle are assembled into one of three positions depending upon the type of model chosen.
- The engine nozzle is made up of 5 parts and gives an accurate, crisply detailed finish.
- Parts are included for raised and lowered versions of control surfaces.
- A stand is provided for use when assembling a vertical landing model.
- The lift fan is integrated with the nose landing gear bay.
- This model offers excellent fuselage interior detail.
- A full complement of ordnance includes AIM-9X and AIM-120C missiles, plus GBU-12 and GBU-32 bombs.
- A total of seven marking options is included, covering aircraft from three nations.

Tamiya designers conducted some seriously in-depth research to capture the stealthy F-35B with such accuracy.

In short takeoff posture, the lift fan intake is open and the engine nozzle points diagonally downward.

Choose whether to assemble the model in stealth mode (no external ordnance), air-to-air mode (missiles only), or beast mode (full ordnance).

A stand is included to use if you are making a vertical landing model.

The vertical landing model has its roll posts activated and engine nozzle pointing downward, plus two of the weapons bay doors half-open.

Take a look at the F-35 in Beast Mode, with all its ordnance loaded!

Here are the ordnance parts included in the kit.

The lift fan interior is also depicted with accuracy, and has parts for both open and closed auxiliary duct.

Peep inside the air intake door to see the cover for the lift fan shaft.

Dedicated parts for open and closed lift fan lower doors, and for short takeoff and vertical landing louver positions.

This image shows the engine duct/nozzle doors open.

Here are the three positions for the engine duct, one for each of the model types that can be selected.

A comparison of F-35A and F-35B nozzles on our models.

The landing gear can also be assembled compressed or uncompressed.

Compare the F-35A and F-35B canopies. This kit includes 2 sets of canopy parts, which can be swapped in and out after assembly.

The cockpit has accurate depictions of the differences from the F-35A, and showcases superlative detail.

The pilot figure has headgear with the helmet mounted display (HMD).

Clear parts recreate the EOTS fairing under the nose. The nose landing gear bay is integrated with the lift fan sides for accurate assembly.

If used, the stand is screwed into this location. The hole is covered by a magnet-affixed part.