F-22 and F-35

Why hard points? The whole purpose was stealth and performance. Hard point become a radar signature. The F 22 was a fighter. F15s, would be your hard point aircraft.

Raised panel lines vs Recessed panel lines?

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Seems like a slippery slope.

In the 1990’s…

Among the serious airplane modelers, that I knew, Monogram was practically laughed out of business for their ProModeler line of planes that frequently featured Raised Panel lines. The amount of ridicule & scorn heaped on Monogram in our local clubs, Monogram became viewed as a laughing stock hack manufacturer :laughing: :joy: :rofl:.

Of course, the hard core group wasn’t really happy with recessed panel lines. When they hand scribed their own panel lines…usually they weren’t happy with those either.

Notice a trend?

However, among the middle of the road serious airplane modelers Recessed seemed to have a serious following. Mostly because after fixing seams, repairing a Recessed Panel was easier to fix than fixing a Raised Panel line.

So recessed panel lines seem to have a few advantages important to many modelers

  1. Easier to fix after doing seam work

  2. Seemed to make fewer potential customers unhappy than raised panel lines.

  3. Easier to highlight with a pencil or with a wash


FWIW…

My view of Raised Panel lines kits follows this Prime Directive of Zero Tolerance.

Raised panel line kits are under a Zero Tolerance Policy and shall never be allowed to contaminant my stash with their presence.

  1. Any airplane kit with Raised Panels goes on the Do Not Buy list.

  2. If a Raised Panel line kit accidentally ends up in my possession due a raffle or something, it must be promptly disposed of by giving it away, otherwise it’s automatically tossed in the nearest trash bin. :wastebasket:

YMMV

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From the article I read about the additional hard points it would be to increase the F-22s abilities, but it would not effect its Stealth capabilities. How they would manage to do that remains a secret. I like the idea. I think it would really turn the F-22 into a serious monster. short of the F-15EX of course.

Anything you put on the hardpoint will not be radar inviasble.

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Yeah this thread is the first place I’ve seen anyone complain about recessed panel lines across the board.

That pretty much rules out all models. Have fun with the hobby in that case! Lol

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Again, easier to sand off than fill.

Maybe we should do more of it.

I was in error by the way. This is 1/72:

If any aircraft needs recessed panel lines, helicopters with actual panels that open up might qualify, after all they are not high performance aircraft. But’s that’s just a tad ridiculous.

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Agreed.

Same with my Airfix Spit above. But at the end of the day it’ll look pretty sitting on my desk at work so I’m happy. I have Tamiya and Eduard kits for getting really accurate.

Latest developments of the F-22 with external pylon stealthy fuel tanks and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) pods on wings.

Photo from TheWarZone (and you’re looking at the rear of the F-22).

https://www.twz.com/air/f-22-spotted-with-new-stealth-wing-tanks-irst-pods

USAF graphic

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The Air Force will at some point, want every aircraft to be a bomb truck…whether it was designed for it or not.

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Panel lines… The best Idea I have seen here is either a decal or drawn on. Here is an example of that. I do not know if it is a decal or drawn, may be you know, but it looks good to me.


Here is a kit that has a molded in difference between the finder and the finder flair.

The car


Which do you prefer?

Excellent. I would appreciate it. I don’t have the kit yet. But the information could be helpful. I guess I just need to know the locations to drill the holes. Any accessory parts that would be needed. Etc.

That looks more like a rubber seal in some of the photos, but I like it. I’ve been a fan of (and done) drawn on lines for decades. Those oval and rectangular Aircraft PE templates are great for drawing on panels as well.

You should do a tutorial on drawing panel lines. Pencil or ink, Clear coat or not, Odd contours, What to do about the kits panel lines. All good information for those that haven’t tried it.

I’ve posted my method on other posts. The main thing is too use a very hard lead such as no.3. And I sharpen it on a piece of wet/dry sandpaper to absolutely the sharpest point I can. Then you just go lightly on your panel lines - just a hint gives stunning results.
I sand off the pre-existing lines. The trick is remembering where they go, but kits don’t always have them accurately placed, i.e. the new B-24 from Airfix, even though those aren’t raised.
You can use scale drawings, pencil rubbings, even photos of the parts.

I know, but thier are pictures of an actual F-22 being flown & tested with hard points. So maybe They have something figured out.