Metal Earth: F-22 Raptor

An aircraft so expensive the production run was cut short, which is a very modern kind of legend.

The Raptor entered service in 2005 and only 195 were ever built, because each one cost roughly the same as a small hospital. It can supercruise, it is very hard to see on radar, and it has never been exported to anybody, which has only added to the mythology. The flat angular surfaces that make it stealthy also make it read beautifully as a bare metal model.

One of the smaller, cheaper kits in the range and a sensible place to start if nobody in the house has built one before. Laser-cut stainless steel, punch out, fold, twist the tabs. No glue, no paint. The twin tails and the intake geometry are the only genuinely awkward bits. Tweezers recommended. Finishes on a stand.

Perfect for: A first Metal Earth, or the teenager who has drawn this aircraft in the back of every exercise book.

Laser-cut steel | No glue required | Age 14+