Hobby Master 1/72 HA4624B F-35B Lightning II ZM-161, RAF (Beast mode)

HA4624B F-35B Lightning II ZM-161, RAF HMS Prince of Wales Far East Deployment

(Beast mode, 2 x meteor missiles inside weapon bay)

No. 617 Squadron, the RAF's famed "Dambusters," was reformed in 2018 as the UK's first frontline F-35B Lightning II squadron, based at RAF Marham. Operating the fifth-generation stealth fighter with short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capability, the squadron has demonstrated advanced multirole operations. Its aircraft participated in Carrier Strike Group 21 aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021, deploying to the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific. 617 Squadron continues to showcase interoperability and rapid global deployment, underscoring the UK's carrier strike and air combat capabilities. The unit remains a central pillar of the RAF's modern, flexible, and stealth-enabled force.

The F-35 is designed to be stealthy, concealing up to 5,700 pounds of ordnance within its internal weapons bays. When stealth isn't the priority however, it can be configured in "Beast Mode", carrying a total of 22,000 pounds both internally and externally via conventional wing pylons.

Lockheed F-35B Lightning II

Designed to meet the US Military's requirement for a multi-role Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35 was first flown on December 15, 2006. This single-seat fighter is one of the most advanced aircraft of our time, said to be four times more effective at air-to-air combat and eight times more effective at air-to-ground combat than any other existing aircraft. It uses a low-maintenance stealth technology, and some versions have an innovative Lift System, which gives the F-35 vertical take-off and landing capabilities. The US plans to buy a total of 2,443 F-35s at a cost of $323 billion, which makes the F-35 the most expensive defense program in history.