Author Topic: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy  (Read 3720 times)

Offline kitnut617

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L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« on: June 09, 2017, 05:54:39 AM »
OK, first off I'd like to get a dimension of a 1/48 F-35 canopy, I'd like to know what the width is of one.  If that works out for what I have in mind, I'd like to know if the 1/48 kits of the F-35 come with a couple of canopies, say an open one or closed one sort of option. Failing that, is there an aftermarket one? Another question, do the F-35 kits only come in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales, is there say a 1/60 scale kit.

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2017, 09:54:32 AM »
My Kitty Hawk Models 1:48th scale F-35A and F-35B have a one-piece canopy.  No option to open canopy unless you want to risk destroying the part.   

On-line kit review with images of the kit contents courtesy of CyberModeler:

Kitty Hawk Models F-35A

Kitty Hawk Models F-35B

The Panda 1:48th scale F-35 shapes also had a one-piece canopy. 
« Last Edit: June 09, 2017, 10:02:42 AM by Jeffry Fontaine »
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2017, 09:05:44 PM »
Thanks Jeff, I'll see if I can get a replacement canopy from Kitty Hawk but before I do could you measure the width and length of the F-35B canopy, what I have in mind depends on whether it will fit.

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2017, 03:13:25 AM »
My Kitty Hawk Models 1:48th scale F-35A and F-35B have a one-piece canopy. 

I would hope it was in one piece - after all, that's what the real aircraft has:

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Offline kitnut617

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2017, 03:18:46 AM »
When I made the comment I thought maybe there was a configuration for open and one for closed which had slightly different detail to the parts.  The 1/72 X-35 kit came with two canopies which look like this was the case.

Offline elmayerle

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2017, 12:55:53 PM »
X-35 had a rather different canopy as it was made for a single, comparatively short-term, purpose.  All F-35 variants have single-piece, forward-hinged canopies.  Granted, this does cause a few problems in laying out the center forward equipment bay, but the hinge travel envelopes can be worked around.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2017, 05:29:49 PM »
This may be resolved, just got an email back from Kitty Hawk -----

Offline Crbad

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2017, 08:50:02 AM »
I've always wondered why they chose the forward hinged canopy. Anybody know?
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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2017, 10:36:10 AM »
Over to you Evan... ;)
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Offline elmayerle

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35 Canopy
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2017, 11:30:22 AM »
I've always wondered why they chose the forward hinged canopy. Anybody know?
Common structure for all three versions (also makes for common systems installations in the center forward equipment bay).  Since the canopy for the F-35B has some different contours as well as a different back end, the only way for a common canopy installation was forward hinging.  Too, that keeps all the canopy related systems in the forward section of the aircraft rather than carrying over into the major mate areas with the resulting additional complexity.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: L/F: 1/48 F-35B Canopy
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2017, 10:00:21 PM »
This may be resolved, just got an email back from Kitty Hawk -----

Well after saying they could supply me one if I bought a full kit too, and me replying I don't need a full kit, I haven't heard from them since and they don't answer to my enquiries.

So I'm still on the look-out for a 1/48 F-35B canopy.