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While the F22 Raptor, which will replace the US F15 (developped by McDonnell Douglas for more than 30 years) will not equip the US Air Force squadrons before 2005, the United States have already launched a new JSF program. Since,
the actual aircraft fighter, the JSF program(Joined Strike Fighter)
should allow to create a multitask fighter common to US Air Force, US
Navy & US Marine Corps in order to reduce the maintenance cost &
to obtain a common range of use. The aircraft should have been a short
take off (
Vertical in STOL version) & should have been supersonic & stealth. 2
aeronautic firms were in competition & produced not only prototypes
but technological exhibitioners (but they still had the "X"
designation instead of the "XY" as before) :
They had to hurry, because the Pentagon staff had to take its decision on autumn 2001. Despite the 9/11 day of infamy, by october 26 the US Air Force secretary (despite the crisis), gave the name of the winner : the F 35 ! During
the next 11 years, 22 prototypes will be assembled, as the inaugural flight
is already scheduled for 2005. Even if the reasons of the Pentagon remains
confidentials, it seems that the great technical community between the
3 versions, as well as their low operating costs have balanced the decision
: the F 35 A (US Air Force version) will get a low infrared signature
asymetric nozzle, the F-35B STOVL (US Marine Corps, RAF, Royal Navy) will
be equivalent to the Harrier, with a 3 sided pivoting nozzle, while the
F-35C with its folding wings, its enlarged vertical fins will be the on
board US Navy version The
F-35 seem already to be succesfull, as more than 3000 aircrafts have to
be built up to replace the F16, F/A-18 , AV8B Harrier II & A 10. And
it already has been said that this number could grow up to 5000, regarding
the number of countries 'interested' in this project, Germany might even
have reduced its order of Eurofighter by 1:3 (80 aircrafts) for no reasons
(!!!). ITALERI has always been a pioneer in prototypes, & released these 2 birds in, right on time. The X32 is the B version (as it is not precised on the box) , while the X 35 is also the B version, the STOVL one (as it is also not precised on the box). Finaly, these are 2 nice models which help us familiarize with these 'beasts' : it's engraved in hollow, it assemble almost without putty, the pieces are clear, so it looks like Hasegawa... but better and cheaper. Grazie i Bravo S.Italeri, it make us discover something really different from the casual Spitangwulfschmitt !! So, why not to do it ?
Find the ITALERI 1:72 X32B & X35B models, by Alain DELILLE in the "Photos Galleries" area |
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In this issue:
Intro Modern : X-32 versus
X-35, tomorrow U.S.Air Force hot bee / WWII : The
1:72 Junker Ju-388 for advanced modelers only... |
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© Club du Theil |2001-2004 | Contact :club-du-theil@tiscali.fr |
US
fighter next generation: 
.
These
2 models have the right shapes, sober (lots of details to come, ...in
the reality), & are really easy to assemble, as each 'X' is formed
by to half 'up&down' like for many other modern aircrafts. The 35
reminds us the F 22 Raptor. The 32 shapes, more tortured with its huge
air entry (which had been variable geometry on the different A, B &
C types, but which had not the constant stealthness as the X35) are great
looking and show us well the special configuration of this bird, nice
or ugly, make your own opinion
! We simply rebuilt the central nose pole of the X32 with all its sensors
in streched wires... good luck !!.