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The F-35C Lightning II is the third variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, not only in terms of it's C designation, but also it is the third to become operational in service. The F-35C differs from the other two variants by having larger wings for slower landing speeds and increased payloads, folding outer wings for storage aboard ship, a catapult-capable twin-wheel nose gear, and a stronger tail hook for arrested landings. While the F-35A and F-35B raced each other to initial operational capability and mission ready, the F-35C had several technical issues to overcome. The F-35B would be the first one to initial operational capability followed by the F-35A, but the Navy opted to take a little more time to shake out the bugs. In August of 2021, the first squadron of F-35Cs from VFA-147 departed on their maiden deployment aboard the carrier USS Carl Vinson.

Trumpeter is the first to release a kit of the F-35C in 1/32 scale. Molded in light gray styrene, this kit is presented on 17 parts trees, plus one tree of clear parts, one set of rubber tires, and one fret of photo-etched parts.

Among the features in this kit:

• 13-piece ejection seat (not counting photo-etched pilot restraints)
• Nicely detailed cockpit
• Positionable canopy
• Radar reflectors are molded separately though not marked as optional in the instructions
• Detailed weapons bays
• Positionable weapons bay doors
• Nicely detailed landing gear struts
• Rubber tires on plastic wheel hubs
• Positionable nosegear catapult bar
• Detailed landing gear wells

• Detailed F135 engine though no provisions for seeing the completed engine after assembly
• Intake ducts to the compressor face
• Exhaust/afterburner section to the turbine face
• Wings can be posed folded or ready for flight
• Optional underwing pylons included though not identified as optional (beast mode)

Weapons stores:

• 2 x GBU-31 JDAM for the internal weapons bay
• 4 x GBU-32 JDAM for the underwing stations (beast mode)
• 4 x GBU-12 LGB for the underwing stations (beast mode)
• 2 x AIM-120 AMRAAM for the internal weapons bay
• 2 x AIM-9X for the outboard wing pylons (beast mode)

Three marking options:

• F-35C, 169424, VFA-101, NJ/125
• F-35C, 168845, VFA-101, NJ/107
• F-35C, 169304, VFA-147, NE/406