F-22 Raptor Complete

Here are some photos of the just completed F-22 Raptor.  This was built from the 1/72 Italeri kit, using an aftermarket photo-etch kit for all of the little vents and such.  This kit is one of the earliest Raptor kits.  It has a lot of minor inaccuracies as a result, but from a distance looks fine.  This represents the roll out ceremony aircraft with colorful markings, before the installation of the nose instrument probe for flight test.  This aircraft was NOT painted in the special metallic paint used on production Raptors.  I used standard USN/USAF ghost grays for the lighter tones and the "Mod Eagle" darker gray.

The kit featured two design elements I detest in a canopy..a separate glass and frame, and a single stalk to hold it up if you wish to display the canopy open.

Ailerons had to be cut out, shaped and re-integrated to the wing.  Flap were already separate. Elevators were tabbed at at the neutral by Italeri, I cut the tab off, pinned them and re-installed after puttying up the slot they were supposed to go in.

Exhaust pedals had to be cut out of the body and connecting points resurfaced.  Interior pedal detail is from the PE kit. 

Getting all of this lined up was a PITA.  The weapons doors had to be separated and "butt glued." together.  No alignment guides for angles and such.  A good Squadron reference book on the F-22 was helpful.