My LHS (AAA Hobbies) got in the new Academy 1/48 scale F-22 Raptor kit yesterday, and it is a thing of beauty. I am normally just a sci-fi and monster modeler, but now I have one of these.

I have posted pictures of the kit as it came out of the box at the store, so check them out and drool.

http://s386.photobucket.com/albums/oo301/martinh65/F-22%20Raptor/

We are exremely proud of the Raptor since it is built less that three miles from our LHS here in Marietta, Georgia.

Cool, it's got the markings for some of the Langley birds. Very impressive.

I was coming out of the hospital at Langley a little while back, and got to see an amazing sight. Four F-22's, one at a time, coming low and slow (maybe 200 ft, maybe 60 kts, but prolly a little faster) over the runway, and then putting the pedal to the metal... and going straight up. :freak:

Almost ran off the road. :cool:

Wow, thanks for sharing! I have been waiting for this to come out. Like you I usually do sci-fi but have built the 1/32 a-10 and now building acadamy's 1/32 f-16. I really like the acadamy kits. The raptor looks big for a 1/48.

Its a pretty nice kit. I'd say its one of Academy's better/best offerings. More like thier good 1/32 F-18 Hornet and less like their abortion of an F-16 in that scale. Their F-22 is wayyyyyyyyy better than the oldish Italeri version.

Hey Martin,
I go to AAA once in a while too.
Any days you are there for sure? Perhaps we could meet up?

Vince

p.s. I'm proud of Raptor too. Been working on it for 15 years.

Vince, I believe that we know each other. Didn't you do the "steampunk" klingon ship early last year?

Anyway,I will surely be there this Saturdat for our monthly IPMS chapter meeting. I will probably be thereby 1:00 and be out of there around 4:00. Hope to see you there.

Vince, I believe that we know each other. Didn't you do the "steampunk" klingon ship early last year?



Nope that wasn't me.
I hope to see you down at AAA someday.
Got lots of kid activities this weekend though...

What did that puppy cost?

It'll set ya back about $65.00.

Very similar parts to the Revell in 1/72.

Nice looking kit. Good looking airplane. Now, go build it.

I hope it doesn't have the sinkmarks on the weapons bay doors that the Revell kit has!

Flew in formation with a couple of F-22's out of Langley last November on my way offshore from Newport News... No pictures can describe how COOL that vectored thrust is when it's in motion.
Might have to pick one of these up, thanks for the post!
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