This is Lockheed-Martin's prize-taker in the Joint Strike Force fly-off against the Boeing X-32. This model is clearly designed for a landed display - no pilot included - that shows off the craft's VTOL system. The engine exhaust duct is molded in the VTOL position. Well, I want an in-flight display, so I'll need to add a pilot and retrofit the engine duct so the exhaust aims aft. And get a pilot.

1/18/2010 - To get the 90° bend out of the "3-bearing swivel duct", I cut the duct halves into 3 wedges using a razor saw, then swapped the middle wedges and glued the pieces back together. This result in a more or less straight duct. The aft wedge requires some shimming and filling to make a straight duct.