This is the Kitty Hawk 1/48 F-35C. I will be using Red Fox 3D decals, Reskit resin exhaust, Furball decals for the VFA-86 scheme, and I also added the Eduard 3D Brassin ejection seat. I started off with the cockpit as usual. I cleaned up the panels to prepare for the Red Fox 3D decals. These look great and fit perfectly on the instrument and side panels. The decal set has the option of the instrument panel display “on” or a blank screen for the “off” mode.
I looked at the kit ejection seat and it is not very well detailed. I researched this kit and found some folks noted the kit ejection seat is too tall and if you wanted the canopy closed it will not close because of the seat. I opted to use the Eduard 3D brassin ejection seat. The seat is very detailed and the instructions also offer other details that can be added. Care is required to trim the parts off of the carriers as they are very delicate. There are eleven different parts as well as a sheet of photo etch and decals for all the warning placards.
I am currently finishing up the cockpit assembly and details then moving on to the nose gear bay and then the weapons bays. Please note as I get closer to packing for the move the weekly updates on this build will most likely be smaller as bench time will be limited.
The first week of the F-35C I installed the seat. The height matches the reference photos and really highlights the cockpit. I added a couple of avionics to the rear deck of the cockpit tub completing the cockpit. I then started on the nose gear bay. I found a really nice reference photo of the F-35C nose gear. In comparing the kit parts I noticed that the kit nose strut is totally different than the actual strut. I was also informed by a representative from Detail and Scale that they did NOT supply reference materials as noted on the kit box. This explains why the details are off.
Anyhow, I removed the landing light and the recognition lights from the kit strut. I then scratch built a new landing light and recognition light panel. For the wheel bay I used solid bare wire for the hard lines and 32 gauge black wire for the cables. There are wires that go along the starboard side door so I left some wire sticking up so when the door is mounted I can route the wiring as needed. The strut with the wheels was then installed.
Since the kit details are incorrect I located reference photos of them. I also received the Furball decal set this week.
Now onto the bad news, there will be no more updates on this build. We are relocating in a few weeks and I started the packing process of the model studio. I have 103 built models, 117 models waiting to be built, and all the benches, shelves, cabinets, paints, supplies etc that all need to be packed. I will be moving them myself to help reduce damage. To see what it takes to move a full hobby studio and set up a new one.
You can follow the “Big Move 2026” at: BIG MOVE 2026
Now the build photos:
