Lockheed L-133 American WWII Jet Fighter Concept (1942)

Scale: 1/72
Initial Release: 2004
Kit Rarity: 2

About the Design

As early at the late 1930s, engineers at Lockheed Aircraft saw the potential of jet propulsion and began preliminary work on designs for a jet-powered combat aircraft. By 1942, they had laid the groundwork for the L-133, a single-seat canard-style fighter to be powered by two L-1000 axial-flow jet engines -- also of Lockheed design.  However, the Army Air Corps saw little potential for jet propulsion and, without U.S. Government funding, the project collapsed. It wasn't until several years later, when word of Germany's success on jet propulsion began to make its way to the Allies, that Lockheed had enough funding to get back into the jet-fighter business. 

About the Kit

This resin kit of the rare and beautiful L-133 was released by Sharkit of France in early 2004. The kit was fairly basic, lacking a cockpit and any major surface detail.

This model was built from an original issue.