Col. Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 As a small boy my first memories of model kits were the Airfix ones bought from Woolworths during the late 70s and in particular a Lightning my father made with me that got painted overall red. Leap forward 30-odd years (yikes!) and I'm looking at some Lightning profiles and start to wonder where the idea for smothering the poor thing in thick red paint had come from. At first I supposed the kit had featured a 56 Sqn. Firebirds scheme but a look on Scalemates.com only shows a 111 Sqn scheme for it over several releases both before and after 1978. I'm near certain it wasn't the Frog or Matchbox F.6 but even then there's no mention of a likely scheme in either of those kits. So anyone know of a EE Lightning kit from the late 70s that would have featured a red-tailed decal option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Col AFAIK the only red coloured fins were the 56 Sqn red/white chequerboard scheme from the 60s. And rather later in the mid 1980s 5 Sqn gave an F6 XR770 an overall red fin and spine and leading edges. Looks like your build may have been a bit of artistic license? Kind regards Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 In the early to mid 1960's 56 Sqns F.1A's had red fins, spines and leading edges to the wings and (IIRC), tailplane leading edges, this scheme was featured on Modeldecal Sheet No.1 - is there any chance he used those? Wez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Thanks for the replies Mark & Wez. I'm certain the 56 Sqn. machines with their red bits had been the inspiration for it but doubt He'd have known about the Modeldecal options back then unless Brian Sherriff's had taken them in as he was usually a straight-from-the-box model maker. Got the 48th scale Airfix kit in the stash with the 56 Sqn. decal option so was thinking of it as a tribute build next year hence why I ask. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomasweir Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 MPC reboxed the Airfix Lightning kit in the late 70s and early 80s. It came with the checkerboard markings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiff guy Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 are you shure it wasn't revells mig 21 that came out in red Glenn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 MPC reboxed the Airfix Lightning kit in the late 70s and early 80s. It came with the checkerboard markings. That sounds a better explination and one I'd not seen mention of 'til now. Perhaps he'd picked up a copy on a trip abroad. Or were they available in the UK? are you shure it wasn't revells mig 21 that came out in red Glenn. Definately a Lightning and I'm near certain it was an F.1, small tank and round topped fin, may seem a stangely clear memory from so far back but it still existed in an old toybox up to the late 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 That sounds a better explination and one I'd not seen mention of 'til now. Perhaps he'd picked up a copy on a trip abroad. Or were they available in the UK? Definately a Lightning and I'm near certain it was an F.1, small tank and round topped fin, may seem a stangely clear memory from so far back but it still existed in an old toybox up to the late 90s. Coincidentally, I've just purchased an old MPC kit off of Evil-Bay. (I need it to cross kit with the new F2a). Not arrived yet but the markings are actually incorrect. The kit is an F1a, which never had Chequerboard markings on the fin - they only appeared on the F3. Airfix's F1a was ALWAYS XM192/'K' with 111 Sqn. It was re-issued as an F3 (with new square topped fin and "redtops") with 11 ('Barley' Grey scheme) and 5 Sqn (Camo) markings. None of these had red fins or trim. Frog's/Hasegawa's kit was an F6 and had decals from 56 Sqn(Hasegawa) and 11 Sqn (Frog) at one stage, these kits, or variations of them appeared under the Revel label (as did the Matchbox kit) I think Frog also issued a P1a - but I've never seen that Matchbox's F6/F2a has makings for 92 Sqn or 74 Sqn. So - sounds like the MPC boxing to me.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Interesting you mention both the 111 Sqn. option on the Airfix F.1a and the Frog P.1a Bill as both existed in my dad's collection. The P1a was a typical early Frog kit with only a pilot's head for cockpit detail and no undercarriage bays. Think the decal positions were also engraved onto the plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Interesting you mention both the 111 Sqn. option on the Airfix F.1a and the Frog P.1a Bill as both existed in my dad's collection. The P1a was a typical early Frog kit with only a pilot's head for cockpit detail and no undercarriage bays. Think the decal positions were also engraved onto the plastic. Hi Col., I think the P1a had gone out of production long before I started sticking bits of plastic together, though a few of those early frog kits did survive. The Attacker , Hunter F1 and Sea Hawk (I think) all had the solid head and wheel wells. The Airfix F1a also featured as a clip and fix type of model with rub down decals - again in 111 Sqn markings.... The aforementioned Modeldecal Sheet No 1 had correct fin markings (yellow cross of Jerusalem instead of Airfix's simplified black version)....I'll be using these markings in a conversion/kit-bashing session. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Look forward to seeing your early Lightning conversion Bill as I'm tempted to do the same myself. You going for a F.1a or F.3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Millman Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Red Arrows transferral? They were formed in 1964. Nick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 Dare say 9 red Lightnings in formation would have made for an impressive and rather loud sight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigReg Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I seem to remember one Christmas, a good few years ago that Marks and Spencer did the Airfix Lightning in their own packaging and it was in 56 sqn markings - I can't remember if it was checkerboard but it was 56 and would have been more available in the UK than the MPC release. David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Well the Diamond nine flown at the Last Last Lightning Show at Binbrook left an indelible imprint in my psyche. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 This, again, is news to me David but there's every possibility my mum or dad would have picked one up from there. Near certain I was no more than 5 or 6 years old so has to be 1979 at the very latest. Well the Diamond nine flown at the Last Last Lightning Show at Binbrook left an indelible imprint in my psyche. Would that imprint be tinitus? Have an abiding memory of being at an airshow during the early 80s with my parents and seeing a single green and silver Lightning coming low and very fast along the crowd line. Fairly certain my dad said he had passed the sound barrier out to sea and was now coming in at a shade over mach1. As the jet was almost upon us my mum turned and said, "What a lovely quiet airplane". Not sure what she said when the noise caught up after it passed as I had my hands over my ears and couldn't hear a thing. Maybe just as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Look forward to seeing your early Lightning conversion Bill as I'm tempted to do the same myself. You going for a F.1a or F.3? Most likely F1a XM192/'K' - Airfix's original - or an F2 - nor sure yet.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 This, again, is news to me David but there's every possibility my mum or dad would have picked one up from there. Near certain I was no more than 5 or 6 years old so has to be 1979 at the very latest. Would that imprint be tinitus? Have an abiding memory of being at an airshow during the early 80s with my parents and seeing a single green and silver Lightning coming low and very fast along the crowd line. Fairly certain my dad said he had passed the sound barrier out to sea and was now coming in at a shade over mach1. As the jet was almost upon us my mum turned and said, "What a lovely quiet airplane". Not sure what she said when the noise caught up after it passed as I had my hands over my ears and couldn't hear a thing. Maybe just as well Unlikely to have been Green/Silver in the early 1980's Col, The F2a's had been disbanded over three years , could have been grey.green and Silver? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Unlikely to have been Green/Silver in the early 1980's Col, The F2a's had been disbanded over three years , could have been grey.green and Silver? I's suggest going at that speed it would've been a greenish blur! Wez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 Most likely F1a XM192/'K' - Airfix's original - or an F2 - nor sure yet.... XM192 sounds a grand lan Bill Unlikely to have been Green/Silver in the early 1980's Col, The F2a's had been disbanded over three years , could have been grey.green and Silver? Don't doubt you're correct Bill. Was 1982 and a dull overcast day with low cloud cover that seen most of the displays done at low level and high speed so, as Wez says, I's suggest going at that speed it would've been a greenish blur! Wez ,everything, with the exception of a 202 Sqn. Sea King, was a dark blur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 MPC reboxed the Airfix Lightning kit in the late 70s and early 80s. It came with the checkerboard markings.Yes, I have one. Sadly the red is pink! Let's muddy the waters a bit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 Yes, I have one. Sadly the red is pink! Let's muddy the waters a bit! Ooh! Nice selection of red bits. I need more Lightning kits in the stash. Anyone got a few Airfix 48th scale F1a/F.2/F.3 kits they'd like to sell me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I's suggest going at that speed it would've been a greenish blur! Wez ..or more accurately a greenish/greyish/silvery blur!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 ..or more accurately a greenish/greyish/silvery blur!!! more accurately yes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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