History

The Boeing X-32 was an experimental attack fighter developed to take part in the Joint Strike Fighter competition to select the replacement aircraft for a number of current attack aircraft. It was defeated by the Lockheed X-35

Studies for a new attack fighter dating back to the 1980s became the Joint Strike Fighter Competition in November 1996 with Boeing and Lockheed Martin being contracted to produce two prototypes each.

One would be conventional and the other capable of short and vertical take off and landing.

An expected production run of 5000 aircraft made this a potentially very lucrative contract to win.

The Boeing X-32 made its first flight on 18 September 2001 and the first hovering flights in March 2001. However, the Lockheed X-35 was selected for development as the F-35.

This model represents the X-32A prototype.

Italeri 1/72 kit. Completed in October 2007.

Data

MODEL: Boeing X-32

ROLE: Experimental attack fighter

TIME PERIOD: 2000-2001

ENGINES: one Pratt & Whitney YF19 turbofan engine of 186.9 kN thrust

WING SPAN: 10.97m

LENGTH: 13.72m

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 17,200kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: mach 1.6.

RANGE: 1575km

CREW: 1

ARMAMENT: up to six AIM-120C AMRAAMs , one 20mm rotary cannon and up to 680kg of bombs

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

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