For your viewing
pleasure, here is my 1/72 scale Italeri F-22 Raptor. This the third OOB
Italeria Raptor kit I have built and all three have been terrible kits. The
model here depicts aircraft #04062 assigned to the SPADS of the First Fighter
Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
Construction: I
won't go into detail about all the construction problems with this model as they
have been well covered by other modelers. See the F-22 pages in the Gallery
section for a full rundown of all the construction problems with Italeri Raptor
kits. The biggest problem with this kit of course is fit problems, lots of
filling and sanding. One other thing, liquid glue will not work on the plastic
of this kit.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Painting: I painted
the model with Testors Model Masters enamels (FS36251, FS36176, and FS36375) and
used the painting diagram that came with the TwoBobs F-22A Langley Raptors decal
set. Landing gear and bays are in gloss white. I used a couple of coats of
Future to prepare for decals and a mixture of Model Masters Semi-Gloss and Flat
Clear Laquer Finish for the finish coat.
Decals: I
used a combination of kit decals and decals from the TwoBobs F-22A Langley
Raptors decal set for the model decals.
After all the
filling, sanding, and painting, the model turned out looking pretty good. I
believe the finished kit captures the look of an F-22 Raptor.
The F-8 Crusader was
dubbed "The Last of the Gunfighters", the F-22 will probably be dubbed
"The Last Manned Fighter". The F-22 is one awesome fighter aircraft.
Without a doubt, the best fighter aircraft ever designed and built.
Burt
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