The F-35 Lightning II, developed as a fifth-generation fighter with excellent stealth performance, was developed in three models simultaneously: a conventional landing type (F-35A), a short takeoff and vertical landing type (F-35B), and a carrier-based type (F-35C); they have been deployed mainly by the U.S. military since 2015.
Among them, the F-35C, developed as a carrier-based type, has larger areas of the main wings, a vertical stabilizer, and horizontal stabilizer compared to the F-35A and F-35B, to improve takeoff and landing performance on aircraft carriers, and its range has also increased. It features details unique to naval aircraft, such as reinforced landing gear to withstand violent landings on the flight deck, nose gear with launch bars for catapult launching, and a folding mechanism for the wingtips to accommodate operation on a narrow shipboard space. The U.S. Navy's first anti-radar stealth F-35C has greatly improved its operational capabilities.
As of 2024, the F-35C is deployed in six active squadrons of the Navy and Marine Corps, and the number of F-35Cs deployed will gradually increase in the future; the day will soon come when they will fill up the flght deck.
Following the 1/48 F-35A and 1/48 F-35B, which are the flagships of Tamiya airplane models and combine high levels of reproduction, precision, and ease of assembly, the carrier-based F-35C appears in the 1/48-scale Masterpiece Aircraft Series. In addition to a configuration that takes reliable assembly into consideration, the exterior parts of the aircraft, which have undergone major changes from the A and B types, have been completely redesigned to faithfully reproduce them. It is packed with the unique charm of carrier-based aircraft, such as thick, sturdy landing gear struts, arresting hooks, and folding wingtips. Order this spectacular model kit for your own collection today!
