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Model of the Month: The jet that hid in plain sight
Hello and welcome to the blog.
Before I launch into June's Model of the Month feature, a quick note to say
Panzer VIII Maus brick tank model - COBI 3138 - 1353 bricks is due in stock middle of next week along with a general restock - see our Back-order Collection for details.
We also have a Sluban order due to arrive early next week which includes a few more new products to expand the range. Huge thanks for the feedback we've received so far for Sluban. Having not stocked the brand since 2022, it sounds as though they have really upped their game in terms of quality - see below for a couple of photo reviews from earlier this week.
Please keep the feedback coming.
Have a great weekend.
Warmest wishes,
Zoë
Before I launch into June's Model of the Month feature, a quick note to say
Panzer VIII Maus brick tank model - COBI 3138 - 1353 bricks is due in stock middle of next week along with a general restock - see our Back-order Collection for details.
We also have a Sluban order due to arrive early next week which includes a few more new products to expand the range. Huge thanks for the feedback we've received so far for Sluban. Having not stocked the brand since 2022, it sounds as though they have really upped their game in terms of quality - see below for a couple of photo reviews from earlier this week.
Please keep the feedback coming.
Have a great weekend.
Warmest wishes,
Zoë
Sluban customer feedback from this week
⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Top build" by Dave R.
"This was a fantastic enjoyable build that looks great. Excellent quality of brick and clear instructions. Only not a 5 due to the stickers being fiddly and a different method to what I am use to. They do look fab once applied."
Hummer H2 assault vehicle brick model - Sluban M38-B0837 - 265 bricks
Hummer H2 assault vehicle brick model - Sluban M38-B0837 - 265 bricks
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Could be even better than Cobi. . . 🫢" by KJGrieve
"Absolutely brilliant, completely on par with Cobi which I didn't think possible, and even improves in a few ways: numbered bags just like leading brands, very articulated minifigures, and a sprue full of accessories. Final model is huge and such great value for the price. There was one piece which seems to have come out of the mould a bit messed up, but luckily it was still completely functional, and this is the only minor issue I had."
MI-24S brick model helicopter - Sluban M38-B1137 - 893 bricks
Model of the Month: Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
"It was like flying a diamond through the sky."
– Retired USAF pilot Col. Al Whitley
F-117 Nighthawk
First flight: 1981
Top speed: ~617 mph (Mach 0.92)
Radar cross-section: Comparable to a bird
Number built: 64
Number built: 64
Combat debut: Panama, 1989
When the F-117 Nighthawk first emerged from the shadows in the late 1980s, it looked more like something out of a science fiction novel than a military aircraft. Cloaked in secrecy and sculpted to be invisible, the Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft—a symbol of Cold War innovation and a marvel of engineering.
Designed to be seen by none
Introduced in 1983, the F-117 was never designed to win dogfights or break speed records. Instead, it was built to slip through radar defences undetected. Using a faceted design and radar-absorbent material, the Nighthawk could reduce its radar cross-section to that of a small bird.
At first glance, its sharp, angular shape seems counterintuitive for flight, let alone stealth. But this unusual design was rooted in a 1970s Soviet paper on radar reflection, which Lockheed engineers used to calculate a shape that would scatter radar waves.
This innovation allowed it to fly deep into enemy territory—unseen, unheard, and unharmed.
FACT
The F-117’s surface is made of flat panels, not curves, to scatter radar waves away from detection—earning it the nickname “the faceted ghost”.
FACT
Only 64 F-117s were ever built. Each one cost around $42 million.
Not truly invisible—but close
Contrary to popular belief, the F-117 wasn’t completely invisible to radar. Instead, it was engineered to minimise its radar cross-section, making it nearly impossible for conventional radar systems to track. Its radar signature was comparable to a metal marble.
In 1999, during NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia, one F-117 was shot down—the only one ever lost in combat. A lucky radar lock and some anti-aircraft fire were enough to bring it down.
Even this incident revealed the limits of stealth—and the need for constant advancement.
Retirement & legacy
In 2008, the F-117 was officially retired, replaced by the more advanced F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. However, sightings of Nighthawks in flight persist, and some have reportedly been used for training and testing as recently as 2024.
Its legacy lives on—not just in hardware, but in the stealth philosophy that now underpins nearly all modern military aircraft.
A symbol of the future
Despite its retirement, the F-117 remains an iconic piece of aviation history. Its alien appearance, shrouded development, and surgical combat record made it a legend long before it entered public consciousness.
In a world obsessed with visibility, the Nighthawk proved that sometimes, the greatest power lies in being unseen.
Cobi's officially licensed 1:48 scale Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk brick aircraft model - COBI 5903 - 798 bricks
Due for release approximately 27th June - due in stock early to mid July. Click on 'Add to cart' to view the product page and more images.
For a deeper dive into the history behind the Nighthawk, check out the 30 minute documentary below.