Trick engineering with Tamiya's F-35A

[@arrrgee]

The engineering in Tamiya kits is just perfection, every new kit just wows everyone.

[@paktahn]

i think the only company that beats them is bandai from the most expensive kits they make to the cheapest every part fits perfect but then again they need them to since they are marketed to most customers as out of box builds with no glue or paint required thats not a big deal on small cheap kits but when you get into multi hundred dollar kits that have hundreds of small pieces and in the end its fully articulated and can be posed its super impressive

[@thinhnguyenduy4099]

So, u haven’t seen Bandai kits, they probably have the lowest tolerance for plastic moldings, and the engineering went in to those kits is insane, no glue needed, basically little to no seam lines cuz they were hidden cleverly and nub marks are placed in places that u wont even see.

[@paktahn]

@@thinhnguyenduy4099 yeah i started on revel and monogram kits back in the 1980s as a kid and was used to nothing fitting then when i got back into modeling about 7 years ago i saw that there were gundam model kits being and being an avid anime watcher i had to get one and it blew my mind how good they are quality wise they do cost a bit more but i think its well worth it

[@thinhnguyenduy4099]

@@paktahn it is a shame that Bandai doesnt make military model kits, if they do, man, i think they would dominate the military model kit market.

[@paktahn]

@@thinhnguyenduy4099 i know they are expanding and are set to announce a new like of kits soon that many speculate will be an armored core line due to them announcing that they are making the next armored core game so its possible in the future that they could expand into more traditional themed kits

[@timcampbell1830]

That’s seriously impressive. Can’t believe that front section with intakes just drops in like that. Beautiful!

[@ralphford4302]

I would really enjoy seeing your build especially in terms of the finish on the 35 or Raptor - especially in dealing with the color scheme and how they are in real life

[@jkoeberli]

tamiya has gone to another level since their f-14s

[@pareshLadd]

Mine is arriving this afternoon - I cannot wait to get my hands on these sprues!

[@tonyperez4791]

Great Heads-Up Matt, wasn't thinking of getting it but now your recommendation is moving the scale to the yes side. 😉 Not a fan of aircrafts post 80's. What happened, the compressor is behaving today? 😁 Take care. Tony

[@raytheron]

Matt, this is the closest anyone has ever come to persuading me to build an F-35. Great engineering, indeed.

[@ScaleHangar182]

Got mine 2 days ago, seriously considering to be my next build, this thing looks awesome.

[@michaelnaven213]

Tamiya always has the modeler’s back engineered for the modeler.

[@sekabkilo22rangedog8]

both the Tamiya A and B are Awesome.... with 1 exception, if you want to build either in a flying mode the landing gear doors don't fit very well( at all really)... even still best F-35 kits out there and I'm looking forward to their C model in a couple months!!!

[@MrMagooRC]

Off to my local hobby shop tomorrow... hoping they have these in for a Christmas hols project.

[@beckersmodels]

And wheels up doesnt look too hard a conversion, compared to most of Tamiyas 1/48 older range..I'm still tempted to do that to an F-4B, and more so now after seeing how you did the underside weathering, but it disappears when wheels down!

[@neiswestnij]

I just got the kit and startet to put it together here and there.. it’s amazing stuff.

[@skuki1980]

did you try to fit those gear doors closed also? I've tried it (quickly though) and it doesn't seem to fit very well, maybe something needs to be sanded or cut away. Can you please let us know do they fit closed. My next build is the closed one

[@petermerz2704]

It’s as if it builds itself! Have to get one. Thanks for sharing. 😎🇨🇦

[@onuq3r4y478]

id love to see this as your next build!

[@michaellaubach3824]

That is incredibly nice engineering!! I am going to have to check this one out!

[@michaellaubach3824]

One aspect that I wish Tamiya would work on is their decals. Their kits are engineered beautifully, but most of their decals are thick as heck. They won’t lay down correctly without a ton of work. Most folks know about this. I truly wonder why they don’t look at this aspect more closely.

[@benshakespeare268]

It would be interesting to see your take on modern jet. There is an obvious lack of weathering needed, but there is some interesting surface finishes on 5th gen aircraft. So far I haven't seen anyone do the canopy on the F-35 or the F-22 any justice. I've heard there is some sort of indium coating on the F-22 (and F-16?) canopy. Could be vapour deposition or something. Very modeller I've seen mixes up some kind of clear metallic gold concision, never looks any good. There must be another method that gets better results.

[@TheModelGuy]

I think I’ll build their Tomcat followed by the F-35 just to see how well their engineering has improved over time.

[@dutchbrotherfan1284]

I seen this kit at RC Country in Sacramento may make the plunge

[@mode1charlie170]

I have the 1/72 version (Italeri/Tamiya) of the “Fat Amy” I don’t think its engineered the same way but looking forward to building it

[@1965GJS13]

Tamiya have taken a leaf from Bandai's play-book. Things are looking up!

[@DoogsModels]

Having built Bandai as well - this is more finesse than I have yet to encounter on any of their kits.

[@davidpalmer4184]

Always nice to see a kit that the modeler doesn't have to fix because of poor design and engineering. Thanks mate.

[@nickbrough8335]

Whilst I am very impressed, it's almost like a snap together model where it can be built in 20 minutes. If youre building a current run version, there isnt even any complex painting to do and (apart from the naval version) none of them are allowed to get particularly weathered. I think there's a point when modelling ceases to be modelling and this might just be it.

[@aaronwhite1786]

That would be a fun model to build and paint in a "what if" camo job, since everyone in NATO seems to be going with the boring-but-effective "2-shades of gray" camo.

[@DoogsModels]

Newer ones are basically just one shade of gray...we need to give some to Greece.

[@aaronwhite1786]

@@DoogsModels Hopefully they keep that Aegean Ghost scheme going into the future. I saw some renders of the Rafales they're getting in boring-ass gray, and was very sad. I need someone to keep the camo game strong.

[@TheModelGuy]

I’m going to do mine as an RCAF one in 2050.

[@Deadmau5l]

ive not done this myself yet but if it makes me say "wow" more than the f-4B did im not sure what ill do XD

[@kitbuster]

Impressive

[@kampfer1945mk]

It's a great looking kit. So from a price standpoint in your opinion is it worth it?

[@DoogsModels]

Yes absolutely

[@andrewdeboer7435]

I’ll hold off now and hope that they do the C model. Yeah, Big T has a spotty record with follow-on variants, but I’ll wait. With the F-14, you could tell from the sprue letters that other versions were planned. Does it seem that way here?

[@DoogsModels]

Tough to say since the B and C would basically require new fuselages (and wings and tails on the C etc) but they've certainly engineered surrounding parts in a way that they could fit to major new parts.

[@DoogsModels]

I'd also add, come to think of it, sales of the F-35A would probably have a lot of influence on whether a B or C gets greenlit. And I do think a B is at least a 50/50 possibility, given that Japan's getting some.

[@andrewdeboer7435]

@@DoogsModels I know the C is a stretch: one user, lots of new parts, etc. But that carrier capable nosegear is what I’m after. I like big struts, and I cannot lie.

[@nigelhill74]

So you can't position the rudders or horizontal stabs?

[@DoogsModels]

Nope, sadly.

[@edwardsolis6491]

Is that one 1/72th scale?

[@AG-wg1sy]

....does Lionheart hobby have a website?

[@AG-wg1sy]

...disregard. Found them

[@DoogsModels]

In case anyone else is looking lionhearthobby.com/1-48-f-35a-lightning-ii-61124/

[@fredtedstedman]

it is like a model jet - with another one inside it ! I also build "in flight mode " so the detail is wasted on me !!!!! It has become so expensive it is way out of my price range .........I can buy a Tamiya r/c buggy for around £100 ! do you ever reply to your viewers ????

[@BEARDEDAXEMODELS]

Who thumbed this down ?!? 😕😕

[@DoogsModels]

Haters gonna hate

[@BEARDEDAXEMODELS]

@@DoogsModels well I for one don't get it... Video is great, short, concise and quickly shows how good the fit is. Damn if you don't like a creater just move on lol, life's too short 🤣

[@dorkf1sh]

Hope someone markets a good set of masks for this thing

[@DoogsModels]

the kit's decals for the RAM paneling are really something to behold

[@nickbrough8335]

Current versions hardly have any colour/tonal difference between the Ram strips that cover the panel boundaries and the basic RAM paint applied. I suspect its probably best done by a weathering style effect now.

[@skuki1980]

New Ware made 4 sets

[@skuki1980]

@@nickbrough8335 yes, but there is still a difference in appearance where the ram panels are. they have the same color but some kind of different coating, that can be noticeable under various angels (except aggressor one, afaik).

[@nickbrough8335]

@@skuki1980 True, but I've yet to see anyone use/make a paint or wash which contains reflective microparticles which are aligned in one axis only.