NO RESERVE. 1/72 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) All-weather Stealth Multirole Tri-Service Fighter, US Marine Corps STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) version for use by US Marine Corps squadrons, VMFAT-501 "Warlords", Fleet Replacement Squadron,, Eglin AFB, Florida. The F-35 family is descended from the X-35, which was the winning design of the JSF program.

The F-35 Series is manufactured by Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics supported by its major industry partners Northrup Grumman, Pratt & Whitney and BAE Systems. The United States intends to by 2,457 aircraft to provide the bulk of the manned tactical airpower for the US Air Force, the US Navy and the US Marine Corps over the coming decades. Deliveries of all of the currently-planned F-35 aircraft for the US military are scheduled to be completed by 2037.

Of the three versions of the F-35, the F-35B being procured for the US Marine Corps has the earliest planned introduction into its operational squadrons. The specifics by version are as follows:

The US Air Force version of the aircraft is the F-35A which is a CTOL (Conventional Take-Off and Landing) configuration. Plans call for a total of 1,763 aircraft with initial introduction to operational squadrons scheduled for December 2016. Its version of the aircraft is under test and evaluation by units at Edwards AFB. California, Eglin AFB. Florida and Luke AFB, Arizona.

The US Navy's version of the aircraft is the F-35C which is a carrier-based CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery) variant of the CTOL configuration. Plans call for a total of 260 aircraft for the Navy with initial introduction to operational squadrons scheduled for 2018. Its version of the aircraft is under test and evaluation by units at Eglin AFB. Florida and NAS (Naval Air Station) Patuxent, Maryland.

The US Marine Corps version of the aircraft is the F-35B which is a STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) configuration. Plans call for a total of 340 aircraft with initial introduction to operational squadrons scheduled for December 2015. Its version is under test and evaluation by units at Eglin AFB, Florida and MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Yuma, Arizona. In addition to the 340 F-35B aircraft to be procured for the Marine Corps, it will also receive 80 of the US Navy's F-35C variant. This means that there will be 340 of both of the F-35B and the F-35C planned to be produced for the US military, with the Navy operating 260 of the aircraft and the Marine Corps operating 420, consisting of a mix of F-35Bs and F-35Cs.

Note that the above quantities of each type of aircraft to be procured by the US total 2,443. The difference between this amount and the 2,457 figure cited above apparently covers the prototypes and preliminary production aircraft meant for general testing prior to the aircraft's acceptance by the individual services.

The aircraft represented by the model is a unit of the Marine Corps' VMFAT-501, Warlords, currently based at Eglin AFB, Florida.  VMFAT-501 (Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501) is the training squadron of the USMC, consisting of 20 F-35B aircraft, is the Marine's Fleet Replacement Squadron.

The door that fit's over the fan intake to the engine when used for vertical landings can be displayed in a raised position, showing the metal-bladed fan that spins freely.

A very solidly-built metal model with very sturdy landing gear. These and the model's weight distribution make it very steady when displayed "on the ground". It can also be displayed "in flight" on the very-sturdy metal stand provided. "Closed" wheel well doors are provided to set in place when the aircraft is mounted on the stand.

The model is released under the brand "Air Force 1 Manufacturing Company" and all of the labeling on its packaging is in Chinese characters except for "F-35B USMC" which appears on the box's top and bottom, "Lockheed Martin" which appears on the box's left end along with the company's logo, "1/72" which appears at various places on the box and a descriptive paragraph in English on the F-35B.  Its Item Number (AF1-00009) is not even stated on the box nor is the paperwork accompanying the model which shows were to mount the landing gear and various wing stores. We obtained the number from the US distributor from whom we purchased stock of the model. Diecast model. Air Force 1 Model Company #AF1-00009. However, since some sellers give its part number as AF1-0009 (with only three Zeros), we have included searchable information in our listing that will yield our listing if searched by either version of the part number.

MIB.

FOR ANYONE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HOW TO INTERPRET A MODEL'S SCALE, THIS MODEL IS 8 1/2 INCHES LONG WITH THE NOSE-MOUNTED PITOT TUBE INCLUDED AND HAS A WINGSPAN OF 5 3/4  INCHES. THESE ARE EQUIVALENT TO DIVIDING THE CORRESPONDING DIMENSIONS OF THE REAL AIRCRAFT IN INCHES BY 72.

Buyer pays shipping as indicated:

Note that our international shipping charges have gone up because of significant increases in First Class International postage that the USPS put into effect on January 27, 2016.

Prior to the increase, packages weighing under 1 lb. could be shipped anywhere outside the US for under $15.00 - except to Canada which was somewhat less - and a significant increase took effect over 1 lb. However, with the new rate structure, international postage (again, except for Canada) for any package weighing between 9 oz. and 2 lbs ranges between $22.00 and $22.75. The cost of postage for Canada is $15.50.

To assist our overseas customers, as an extension of our Free Shipping for US buyers now standard on our new listings, our corresponding international S&H Charges for models that weigh 2 lbs or less packed are $16.00 and not the higher $22.00 - $22.75 amounts. Our comparable charge for Canada is $10.00.

(1) US - FREE SHIPPING BY USPS FIRST CLASS PACKAGE OR PRIORITY MAIL (THE TYPE OF SERVICE TO BE USED DEPENDING ON WEIGHT AND PRICE OF MODEL) TO ANYWHERE IN THE 50 STATES.

(2) CANADA - $15.00 US for this 1/72 Scale aircraft.

(3) LATIN AMERICA AND EUROPE - $23.00 US for this 1/72 Scale aircraft.

(4) ALL OTHER COUNTRIES - $23.00 US for this 1/72 Scale aircraft.

International shipments will be identified a "Merchandise" on the necessary US Customs forms and the price paid for each model in a given shipment will be used as its declared value.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS BY FIRST CLASS MAIL INTERNATIONAL, WHICH COVERS PACKAGES UP TO 4 LBS IN WEIGHT. BECAUSE THIS MODEL IS RELATIVELY LIGHT-WEIGHT, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SHIP A FEW ADDITIONAL MODELS WITH IT AND STILL BE UNDER THE 4 LBS. LIMIT. THE INCREMENTAL SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES FOR ADDITIONAL MODELS WILL VARY BETWEEN $1.00 AND $4.00 EACH, DEPENDING UPON WHERE THE MODELS ARE TO BE SHIPPED. 

Virginia buyers pay 6.0% Sales Tax. Allow 10 days for checks to clear. EMAIL US TO HOLD ITEMS PENDING ADDING MORE TO THE SHIPMENT.

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